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Key points
- The new plan requires coordinated investment to ensure countries have a skilled, motivated and well-supported workforce capable of meeting Africa’s rapidly growing health needs.
- This agenda marks a shift from simply training more health workers to building a sustainable, planned and equitably distributed health system
- African Minister of Health too supported a new regional strategy to give every child the best start in life
Adopted during 76th session from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, the Health Workforce Management Program in Africa (2026–2035) aims to transform the labor market in the health sector.
Ministers approved a 10-year program to train, employ and retain three million additional health workers in a major effort to improve health systems across the continent.
“Our Member States recognize that training health professionals is only the beginning,” said Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa.
“This program turns evidence into concrete action and political commitment into sustainable investment in Africa’s health workforce and, ultimately, in the health and well-being of our communities,”
More health workers, but still not enough
This commitment comes as Africa’s health workforce has grown significantly over the past decadereaching nearly 5.72 million professionals by 2024.
However, this increase is still far from what is needed. Currently the continent has only 46 percent of the health workers needed to meet its needs, leaving millions of people without adequate access to essential health services.
Without decisive action, this labor shortage could exceed six million professionals by 2035.
Chronic staff shortages
At the same time, Africa faces a striking paradox: Health facilities are struggling with staff shortages while nearly one million trained health professionals are unemployed, and new graduates are the most affected.
In many countries, more than half of newly qualified nurses, doctors and midwives are unable to find work immediately after completing their training.
For who, This situation underscores the need to align education and training with labor market demandsjob creation and sustainable financing, while strengthening long-term workforce planning.
Small investment, big profit potential
The new program provides states with a roadmap to improve workforce planning, expand quality training, create more job opportunities and retain skilled professionals in the fields that need them most.
WHO also highlights the economic reasons for investing in health workers. Closing the labor gap in Africa would require an additional $4 to $6 per person annually.
However, the potential profits are quite large. Every dollar invested in health workers can generate up to $10 in economic benefits and about 30 times the broader social benefits, through better health, higher productivity and a stronger economy.
New regional strategy
Deliberations on policies and priorities are expected at the Addis Ababa meeting until August 28, with decisions that will determine the region’s health agenda for the coming year and beyond, including new agendas. supported regional strategy to give every child the best start in life.
This strategy requires coordinated action in health, nutrition, social protection, water and sanitation, education, finance and other sectors, recognizing that no single sector can meet children’s needs alone.
At the heart of the program is a commitment to support parents, caregivers and communities, who play the most important roles in helping children survive, grow, learn and develop, according to WHO.
