Africa to add 3 million health workers by 2035 amid 6 million shortage risk

African health authorities have pledged to recruit and retain an additional 3 million healthcare professionals by 2035, aiming to address a looming shortage that could exceed 6 million workers. This commitment was made at the 76th session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday, August 26.

The pledge follows the growing exodus of trained health workers to nations abroad, where they often seek improved career prospects, remuneration, and working conditions.

Although Africa's healthcare workforce has expanded to an estimated 5.72 million workers in 2024, the continent still lags significantly, with only about 46% of the workforce required to meet essential health service needs. Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized that the new agenda acknowledges that merely increasing the number of trained healthcare workers is insufficient to resolve the continent's workforce challenges.

Presently, Africa has approximately one doctor for every 3,000 people, roughly one-third of the ratio recommended by WHO. The shortage has been exacerbated by the migration of Nigerian doctors, with Nigeria losing between 15,000 and 16,000 doctors over the past five years.

To bridge this gap, WHO estimates that closing Africa's health workforce deficit would require an additional $4 to $6 per person annually. This investment is projected to yield substantial economic and social benefits, with each dollar invested generating up to $10 in economic returns and generating about 30 times its value in broader social benefits, including healthier populations, increased productivity, and stronger economies.

Nigeria's ongoing struggle to retain and support its medical workforce is evident in repeated disputes between resident doctors and the Federal Government. These conflicts have prompted the Federal Government to seek ways to encourage healthcare professionals working abroad to return to Nigeria. In July, President Bola Tinubu called on Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals living in the diaspora to return home and contribute their expertise to transform the country's healthcare sector.