Health workforce
Health systems can only function with health workers; improving health service coverage and realizing the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is dependent on their availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality.
World Health Organization / @Drawnalism
Closing panel from Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health
Closing panel from Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health
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Credits
Latest technical briefs
The Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health was held from 3-5 April 2023 under the theme Protecting, safeguarding, and investing in the health...
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News & Media
World Health Organization
Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health : Scrub Choir performance
Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health : Scrub Choir performance
©
Credits
The Royal Melbourne Scrub Choir performing at the Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health. For more photos from the event, visit the Fifth Global Forum photo gallery.
Publications
All →In 2019, Working for Health supported four countries on initiating and implementing health workforce strategies and investment plans to achieve universal...
In 2020, Working for Health expanded its operations in 10 countries (Benin, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa, occupied Palestinian...
In 2021, Working for Health operated in 12 countries and provided support to two regional economic areas – the Southern African Development Community...
26 March 2023
What the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed: the findings of five global health workforce professions
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO asserted that a holistic assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact is needed and accordingly formulated a...
Technical documents
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7 June 2023
Health workforce terminology: multilingual
This document represents the official WHO terms and definitions related to the health and care workforce, applicable across the UN system. It is included...
20 May 2023
Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health: Key areas for action and the way forward
The Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health was held from 3-5 April 2023 under the theme Protecting, safeguarding, and investing in the health...
3 April 2023
Civil society action brief: Enhancing domestic and international financing for investments in the health...
Civil society action brief: Enhancing domestic and international financing for investments in the health and care workforce was prepared for the WHO Fifth...
3 April 2023
Civil society action brief: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: recruiting, retaining and supporting...
Civil society action brief: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: recruiting, retaining and supporting health and care workers was prepared for the WHO Fifth...
News
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COVID-19 resources
26 March 2023
What the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed: the findings of five global health workforce professions
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO asserted that a holistic assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact is needed and accordingly formulated a...
3 December 2020
Health workforce policy and management in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic response
This guide consolidates COVID-19 guidance for human resources for health managers and policy-makers at national, subnational and facility levels to design,...
26 April 2021
The role of community health workers in COVID-19 vaccination: Implementation support guide
This guide is intended to support national governments developing their national deployment and vaccination plans (NDVPs) for COVID-19 vaccines by outlining...
22 September 2010
Joint WHO/ILO policy guidelines on improving health worker access to prevention, treatment and care...
This document presents an evidence-informed policy for the provision of improved access to HIV and TB prevention, treatment, care and support for health...
13 January 2023
Infection prevention and control in the context of coronavirus disease (COVID-19): a living guideline,...
The Infection prevention and control in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a living guideline consolidates infection...
17 December 2021
Impact of COVID-19 on human resources for health and policy response: the case of Plurinational State...
In the International Year of Health and Care Workers (2021) and in an effort to support countries in the design and implementation of strategies to address...
14 August 2022
Impact of COVID-19 on Human Resources for Health and Policy Response: the Case of Belize, Grenada, and...
Health workers are crucial in the preparedness and response to COVID-19, but the pandemic has evidenced the shortage of human resources for health (HRH)...
Campaigns
Key publications
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10 April 2022
Working for Health 2022-2030 Action Plan
7 July 2020
Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030
9 January 2020
Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List
14 March 2019
Delivered by women, led by men: A gender and equity analysis of the global health and social workforce (Human Resources for Health Observer Series No. 24)
2 February 2016
Global Strategic Directions for Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery
20 May 2010
WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel
World Health Assembly resolutions
- WHA75.17 – Human resources for health (Working for Health (2022-2030) Action Plan, Global health and care workers compact) (2022)
- WHA74.14 - Protecting, safeguarding and investing in the health and care workforce (2021)
- WHA74.15 - Strengthening nursing and midwifery: investments in education, jobs, leadership and service delivery (2021)
- WHA73.9 - Report of the WHO Expert Advisory Group on the Relevance and Effectiveness of the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel (2020)
- WHA73.30 - Human resources for health (2020)
- WHA72.3 - Community health workers delivering primary health care: opportunities and challenges) (2019
- WHA72.19 - 2020: International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife) (2019
- EB140.3 - Human resources for health and implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations’ High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth (2017)
- WHA70.6 - Human resources for health and implementation of the outcomes of the United Nations’ High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth (2017)
- WHA 69.19 - Global strategy on human resources for health: workforce 2030 (2016)
- WHA 63.16 - WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel (2010)