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Indicator name:
Health workers (number), by occupation
Topic:
Health workforce
Global Health Workforce statistics database
Rationale:
Medical doctors include generalist medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners and medical doctors not further defined, in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included here are 221, 2211 and 2212.
Definition:
SDG Target 3.c: Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States

Medical doctors
Medical doctors include generalist medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners and medical doctors not further defined, in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included here are 221, 2211 and 2212.

Generalist medical practitioners include generalist medical practitioners, in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes that relates to this occupation are 2211.

Specialist medical practitioners include specialist medical practitioners, in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes that relates to this occupation is 2212.

Medical doctors not further defined include medical practitioners (not further defined as generalists or specialists), in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 221.

Nursing and midwifery personnel
Nursing and midwifery personnel includes nursing personnel and midwifery personnel in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included here are 2221, 2222, 3221 and 3222.

Nursing personnel includes nursing personnel (nursing professionals, nursing associate professionals and nurses not further defined) in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included here are 2221 and 3221.

Midwifery personnel includes midwifery personnel (midwifery professionals, midwifery associate professionals and midwives not further defined) in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 codes included here are 2222 and 3222.

Dentistry personnel
Dentists include dentists in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 2261.

Dental Assistants and Therapists include dental assistants and therapists in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3251.

Dental Prosthetic Technicians include dental prosthetic technicians in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3214.

Pharmaceutical personnel
Pharmacists include pharmacists in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 2262.

Pharmaceutical Technicians and Assistants include pharmaceutical technicians and assistants in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3213.

Environmental and Occupational Health and Hygiene Personnel
Environmental and Occupational Health and Hygiene Professionals include environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 2263.

Environmental and Occupational Health Inspectors and Associates include environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3257.

Medical and Pathology Laboratory Personnel
Medical and Pathology Laboratory scientists include medical and pathology laboratory scientists in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3212.

Medical and pathology laboratory technicians includes medical and pathology laboratory technicians in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3212.

Physiotherapy personnel
Physiotherapists include physiotherapists in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 2264.

Physiotherapy technicians and assistants include physiotherapy technicians and assistants in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3255.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine Personnel
Traditional and Complementary Medicine Professionals include traditional and complementary medicine professionals in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 2230.

Community Health Workers
Community Health Workers include community health workers in the given national and/or subnational area. The ISCO-08 code that relates to this occupation is 3253.
Associated terms:
The WHO framework for classifying health workers draws on the latest revisions of International Standard Classification of Occupations (revision 2008).
Disaggregation:
by occupation
Method of measurement
Complementing the national reporting through the NHWA data platform, the WHO Secretariat may also use data from other official channels such as the OECD-Eurostat-WHO EURO Joint Questionnaire on Non-Monetary Healthcare Statistics or key administrative national and regional sources. NHWA focal points are apprised of any such cases for their review and feedback. Through this process, with engagement of representatives from Member States throughout, data cleared and published by WHO are considered as official statistics and adhere to the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics1.
Method of estimation:
The denominator data for workforce density (i.e. national population estimates) are obtained from the latest revision of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects database.
Expected frequency of data dissemination:
Annual
Expected frequency of data collection:
Ongoing process
Contact person email:
kunjument@who.int
Name:
Teena Kunjumen
IMRID:
5074
Limitations:
While public sector data tend to be the most comprehensive, ongoing efforts are needed to strengthen coverage of the private, military, NGO, and faith-based health sectors, as well as to keep regulatory and professional council records current As data are not always published annually for every country, the latest available data have been used. Given differences in data sources, considerable variability remains across countries in the coverage, periodicity, quality and completeness of the underlying data.
Densities are calculated using the latest national population estimates from the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects database and may vary from densities produced by the country.
Links:
NHWA data portal 
National health workforce accounts: a handbook, second edition 
National health workforce accounts: implementation guide
Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030
Indicator Metadata Registry List
Over 68% of WHO Member States report to have less than 5 dentists per 10 000 population. (about 37% report to have less than 1). Oral diseases are the one of the common chronic diseases and pose public health issues due to its prevalence, expense of treatment and its impact on individuals and society. The dental care systems in most countries are not sufficient to cope with the demands on oral health care. More efforts and strategies need to be put in place that integrates oral health along with general health policies.
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