Africa: More Health Workers, Stronger Systems - Africa's New Ambitious Goal
[UN News] Facing a projected shortage of more than six million health professionals by 2035, African countries are stepping up efforts to strengthen their workforce, with a new decade-long plan announced on Wednesday during a meeting of health ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
African nations are ramping up their efforts to address a looming shortage of over six million health professionals by 2035, according to a new decade-long plan announced during a meeting of health ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Health Workforce Management Programme in Africa (2026-2035) seeks to transform health-sector labor markets by training, employing, and retaining an additional three million health workers.
Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa, emphasized that the program turns evidence into concrete action and translates political commitment into sustainable investments in the health workforce. While Africa's health workforce has grown to nearly 5.72 million professionals in 2024, it still falls short of the 46% required to meet the continent's needs.
The shortage is exacerbated by nearly one million trained health professionals being unemployed, particularly recent graduates. The new program offers a roadmap for improving workforce planning, expanding quality training, creating employment opportunities, and retaining skilled professionals in areas where they are most needed.
WHO highlights the economic benefits of investing in health workers, estimating that every dollar invested could generate up to $10 in economic benefits and 30 times that in broader social returns. The meeting will continue until 28 August, with decisions shaping the region's health agenda in the coming year and beyond.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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