Health workforce Partnerships

Working4Health

The Working for Health Programme is a joint WHO, ILO and OECD programme to expand and transform the health and social workforce to drive inclusive economic growth and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 
 

WHO led/coordinated network

The Global Health Workforce Network was established in 2016, following a request by select Member States and building on a proposal by the Board of the Global Health Workforce Alliance. The Network operates within WHO as a global mechanism for stakeholder consultation, dialogue and coordination on comprehensive and coherent health workforce policies in support of the implementation of the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health and the recommendations the Commission.

Key national and local partners 

  • Ministries of Health, Education, Labour, Finance, National Planning, Gender, Youth;
  • Professional associations and trade unions;
  • Regulatory authorities;
  • Private providers;
  • Civil society.

Key international partners

International Labour Organization (ILO), The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), The World Bank, The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), The European Union (EU), International NGOs

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.
 

WHO estimates a projected shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030, mostly in low- and lower-middle income countries. However, countries at all levels of socioeconomic development face, to varying degrees, difficulties in the education, employment, deployment, retention, and performance of their workforce.