Health workforce in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: from COVID-19 lessons to action
11 October 2023 – The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted once again the importance of health workers in maintaining the health of populations and providing essential health services. It has also resulted in greater recognition of the critical role of the health workforce in delivering essential public health functions and responding to health emergencies.
Countries and territories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region – a region with highly diverse and often challenging political, social, economic and demographic contexts – face ongoing health workforce shortages. Although most countries and territories have made significant progress in increasing their workforce production capacities, such increases have not kept pace with population growth.
Afghanistan, Djibouti, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen – over 25% of the Region’s countries and territories – are on the WHO health workforce support and safeguards list 2023. This lists the countries with the most pressing health workforce challenges in relation to universal health coverage. Current projections imply that health workforce shortages will continue in the Region, and account for over 20% of the global shortfall of 10 million health workers that is anticipated by 2030.
These challenges can only be addressed through our collective commitment and multisectoral actions. Our health workforce is our future, and the time to act is now. A strengthened health workforce is essential for building resilient health systems and achieving universal health coverage.
