Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health

Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health
Name	Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health
Adopted	2016
By	World Health Organization
Scope	Global
Related	Sustainable Development Goals, Universal health coverage

Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health The Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health is an international policy instrument developed to guide actions on health workforce planning, education, financing, and governance. It was adopted under the auspices of the World Health Organization and aligns with commitments from the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Assembly, and the United Nations 2030 agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategy seeks to address workforce shortages, distributional inequities, and skill mismatches that affect service delivery in contexts such as Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Background and Rationale

The strategy emerged against a backdrop of landmark reports and global initiatives, including analyses by the World Health Organization, the Global Health Workforce Alliance, and the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth. It responds to evidence from studies by institutions like The Lancet, the World Bank, and the International Labour Organization that highlighted critical deficits in health personnel in countries such as India, Nigeria, and Haiti. The rationale draws on commitments from international instruments like the Alma-Ata Declaration, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to ensure equitable access to skilled health workers for maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS treatment, and non-communicable diseases control.

Objectives and Strategic Directions

The strategy articulates objectives that parallel targets in the Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on workforce capacity, distribution, competence, and financing. Strategic directions include scaling up education and training pipelines inspired by models from institutions such as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the University of Cape Town. It emphasizes regulatory frameworks like those of the General Medical Council (United Kingdom), the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and regional bodies such as the African Union to strengthen professional standards. Cross-sectoral linkages draw on partnerships exemplified by UNICEF, UNAIDS, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Implementation Framework and Actions

Implementation combines policy levers, financial instruments, and capacity-building measures. Actions include workforce assessments using tools derived from the WHO Global Health Observatory and modelling approaches from the International Monetary Fund and the OECD. Investments in education reference curricula reforms from the University of Toronto and competency frameworks used by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Financing strategies tap mechanisms influenced by the Green Climate Fund and multilateral development banks such as the World Bank Group and the Asian Development Bank. Operationalizing deployment and retention draws lessons from national programs in Brazil, Rwanda, and Thailand.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

Monitoring frameworks align with reporting cycles of the World Health Assembly and the United Nations General Assembly. Indicators mirror those used by the WHO Global Health Workforce Statistics and metrics employed by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Evaluation methodologies reference standards from the International Organization for Standardization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS for programmatic review. Periodic reporting is intended for bodies such as the Global Fund Board, the Gavi Board, and national parliaments exemplified by the United Kingdom Parliament and the South African Parliament.

Stakeholder Roles and Governance

Governance arrangements envisage roles for multilateral organizations like the World Health Organization, United Nations Development Programme, and UNICEF; bilateral partners such as the United States Agency for International Development and the Department for International Development (United Kingdom); and philanthropic actors including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Professional associations such as the World Medical Association and the International Council of Nurses are named as key technical partners. Academic institutions such as Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and civil society organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières are cited for implementation support and advocacy.

Regional and Country-level Adaptation

The strategy encourages adaptation through regional offices of the World Health Organization and regional economic communities such as the Economic Community of West African States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the European Union. Country-level adaptation examples include workforce plans from Ethiopia, licensing reforms in Philippines, and incentive schemes used in Cuba. Integration with national health sector plans involves coordination with ministries operating alongside entities like the Pan American Health Organization and the African Development Bank.

Challenges, Criticisms, and Future Priorities

Critiques have focused on financing gaps highlighted by the International Monetary Fund and inequities noted in reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Operational challenges include migration pressures documented by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, regulatory fragmentation examined by the European Commission, and data limitations flagged by the World Health Organization. Future priorities emphasize stronger links with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, innovation partnerships with technology firms akin to Microsoft and Google, and workforce resilience measures responsive to threats such as Ebola virus disease outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Category:Global health