scholarly journals Applying WHO COVID-19 Workforce Estimate Tools Remotely in an African Context: A Case Report From Mali and Kenya

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela A. McQuide ◽  
Amy Finnegan ◽  
Katherine M Terry ◽  
Andrew Nelson Brown ◽  
Cheick Oumar Toure ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Human Resources Management ◽  
World Health ◽  
Local Context ◽  
African Countries ◽  
African Context

Abstract BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has increased the burden on health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where health systems already struggle. To meet health workforce planning needs during the pandemic, IntraHealth International used two tools created by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. The Health Workforce Estimator (HWFE) allows the estimation of the quantity of health workers needed to treat patients during a surge, and the Adaptt Surge Planning Support Tool helps to predict the timing of a surge in cases and the number of health workers and beds needed for predicted caseload. These tools were adapted to fit the African context in a rapid implementation over five weeks in one region in Mali and one region in Kenya with the objective to test the feasibility of adapting these tools, which use a Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN)-inspired human resources management methodology, to obtain daily and surge projections of COVID-19 human resources for health needs.Case presentationUsing a remote team in the US and in-country teams in Mali and Kenya, IntraHealth enacted a phased plan to gather stakeholder support, collect data related to health systems and COVID-19 cases, populate data into the tools, verify modeled results with results on the ground, enact policy measures to meet projected needs, and conduct national training workshops for the ministries of health.ConclusionsThis phased implementation in Mali and Kenya demonstrated that the WISN approach applied to the Health Workforce Estimator and Adaptt tools can be readily adapted to the local context for African countries to rapidly estimate the number of health workers and beds needed to respond to the predicted COVID-19 pandemic caseload. The results may also be used to give a proxy estimate for needed health supplies—e.g., oxygen, medications, and ventilators. Challenges included accurate and timely data collection and updating data. The success of the pilot can be attributed to the adapted WHO tools, the team composition in both countries, access to human resources data, and early support of the ministries of health, with the expectation that this methodology can be applied to other country contexts.

scholarly journals Human resources for health in Botswana: The results of in-country database and reports analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oathokwa Nkomazana ◽  
Wim Peersman ◽  
Merlin Willcox ◽  
Robert Mash ◽  
Nthabiseng Phaladze
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Health Professions ◽  
World Health ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Middle Income

Background: Botswana is a large middle-income country in Southern Africa with a population of just over two million. Shortage of human resources for health is blamed for the inability to provide high quality accessible health services. There is however a lack of integrated, comprehensive and readily-accessible data on the health workforce.Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the existing databases on health workforce in Botswana in order to quantify the human resources for health.Method: The Department of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, the Botswana Health Professions Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Botswana and the in-country World Health Organization offie provided raw data on human resources for health in Botswana.Results: The densities of doctors and nurses per 10 000 population were four and 42,respectively; three and 26 for rural districts; and nine and 77 for urban districts. The average vacancy rate in 2007 and 2008 was 5% and 13% in primary and hospital care, respectively, but this is projected to increase to 53% and 43%, respectively, in 2016. Only 21% of the doctors registered with the Botswana Health Professions Council were from Botswana, the rest being mainly from other African countries. Botswana trained 77% of its health workforce locally.Conclusion: Although the density of health workers is relatively high compared to the region, they are concentrated in urban areas, insuffiient to meet the projected requirements and reliant on migrant professionals.

scholarly journals Community health workers at the dawn of a new era: 2. Planning, coordination, and partnerships

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Mahmood Afzal ◽  
George W. Pariyo ◽  
Zohra S. Lassi ◽  
Henry B. Perry
Keyword(s):  
Global Health ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
New Era

Abstract Background Community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role in grassroots healthcare and are essential for achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. While there is a critical shortage of essential health workers in low- and middle-income countries, WHO and international partners have reached a consensus on the need to expand and strengthen CHW programmes as a key element in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed that emerging health challenges require quick local responses such as those utilizing CHWs. This is the second paper of our 11-paper supplement, “Community health workers at the dawn of a new era”. Our objective here is to highlight questions, challenges, and strategies for stakeholders to consider while planning the introduction, expansion, or strengthening of a large-scale CHW programme and the complex array of coordination and partnerships that need to be considered. Methods The authors draw on the outcomes of discussions during key consultations with various government leaders and experts from across policy, implementation, research, and development organizations in which the authors have engaged in the past decade. These include global consultations on CHWs and global forums on human resources for health (HRH) conferences between 2010 and 2014 (Montreux, Bangkok, Recife, Washington DC). They also build on the authors’ direct involvement with the Global Health Workforce Alliance. Results Weak health systems, poor planning, lack of coordination, and failed partnerships have produced lacklustre CHW programmes in countries. This paper highlights the three issues that are generally agreed as being critical to the long-term effectiveness of national CHW programmes—planning, coordination, and partnerships. Mechanisms are available in many countries such as the UHC2030 (formerly International Health Partnership), country coordinating mechanisms (CCMs), and those focusing on the health workforce such as the national Human Resources for Health Observatory and the Country Coordination and Facilitation (CCF) initiatives introduced by the Global Health Workforce Alliance. Conclusion It is imperative to integrate CHW initiatives into formal health systems. Multidimensional interventions and multisectoral partnerships are required to holistically address the challenges at national and local levels, thereby ensuring synergy among the actions of partners and stakeholders. In order to establish robust and institutionalized processes, coordination is required to provide a workable platform and conducive environment, engaging all partners and stakeholders to yield tangible results.

scholarly journals Human Resources in Healthcare and Health Outcomes in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-159
Author(s):  
Venkatanarayana Motkuri ◽  
Udaya S. Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Size Composition ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
World Health ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Minimum Requirement

Human resources for health including health professionals and skilled health workers are crucial in shaping health outcomes. But the shortage of human resources in healthcare services is a reality and hence it has been a cause of concern in lower-middle income countries like India. The present exercise based on census data is a situation analysis of size, composition and distribution of human resources available in the Indian healthcare services. It also explores the relationship between educational development and health workers availability alongside the association between density of health workers and health outcomes across states of India. It is observed that despite the remarkable improvement in health workers density particularly during 2001–2011, the country is falling short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) need-based minimum requirement (4.45 health workers per 1,000 population) of health workers. The exploratory verification asserts that there is a significant and strong positive relationship/association between the density of health workers and health outcomes.

scholarly journals Intersectionality of gender in recruitment and retention of the health workforce in Africa: a rapid review

2021 ◽  
pp. 698-706
Author(s):  
Chigozie Uneke ◽  
Bilikis Uneke
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Power Relationship ◽  
Recruitment And Retention ◽  
Management Positions ◽  
Pubmed Search

Background: Despite the importance of gender and intersectionality in policy-making for human resources for health, these issues have not been given adequate consideration in health workforce recruitment and retention in Africa. Aims: The objective of this review was to show how gender intersects with other sociocultural determinants of health to create different experiences of marginalization and/or privilege in the recruitment and retention of human resources for health in Africa. Methods: This was rapid review of studies that investigated the intersectionality of gender in relation to recruitment and retention of health workers in Africa. A PubMed search was undertaken in April 2020 to identify eligible studies. Search terms used included: gender, employment, health workers, health workforce, recruitment and retention. Criteria for inclusion of studies were: primary research; related to the role of gender and intersectionality in recruitment and retention of the health workforce; conducted in Africa; quantitative or qualitative study design; and published in English. Results: Of 193 publications found, nine fulfilled the study inclusion criteria and were selected. Feminization of the nursing and midwifery profession results in difficulties in recruiting and deploying female health workers. Male domination of management positions was reported. Gender power relationship in the recruitment and retention of the health workforce is shaped by marriage and cultural norms. Occupational segregation, sexual harassment and discrimination against female health workers were reported. Conclusion: This review highlights the importance of considering gender analysis in the development of policies and programmes for human resources for health in Africa.

scholarly journals The state of strategic plans for the health workforce in Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 9) ◽  
pp. e001115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris Osei Afriyie ◽  
Jennifer Nyoni ◽  
Adam Ahmat
Keyword(s):  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
African Region ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Regional Office ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Sub Saharan

Many African countries have a shortage of health workers. As a response, in 2012, the Ministers of Health in the WHO African Region endorsed a Regional Road Map for Scaling Up the Health Workforce from 2012 to 2025. One of the key milestones of the roadmap was the development of national strategic plans by 2014. It is important to assess the extent to which the strategic plans that countries developed conformed with the WHO Roadmap. We examine the strategic plans for human resource for health (HRH) of sub-Saharan African countries in 2015 and assess the extent to which they take into consideration the WHO African Region’s Roadmap for HRH. A questionnaire seeking data on human resources for health policies and plans was sent to 47 Member States and the responses from 43 countries that returned the questionnaires were analysed. Only 72% had a national plan of action for attaining the HRH target. This did not meet the 2015 target for the WHO, Regional Office for Africa’s Roadmap. The plans that were available addressed the six areas of the roadmap. Despite all their efforts, countries will need further support to comprehensively implement the six strategic areas to maintain the health workers required for universal health coverage

scholarly journals Implementation of an Effective Strategy for the Development of Human Capital as a Basis for Strengthening the National Health System

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (38) ◽  
pp. 4-9
Author(s):  
Kanat Tossekbaev ◽  
◽  
Timur Sultangaziyev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Health System ◽  
National Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Human Resources Management ◽  
National Health System ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Effective Strategy

Abstract One of the most important components of strengthening the national health system is the introduction of an effective strategy for the development of human capital in the industry based on improving the status of health workers, changing the sectoral system of qualifications and their confirmation, changing approaches to the health education system, as well as improving the system of state planning for training health workers. The implementation of these measures will ensure an increase in the efficiency of human resources management in the industry, ensuring the provision of quality healthcare services. At the same time, the new sectoral policy of human resource management should be based on such principles as the availability of the necessary human resources, the proper competence of employees, integrated development of human resources, responsiveness of human resources to the needs of the population, continuous professional development, productivity of human resources, and social recognition. Key words: human resources for health, training of health workers, status of health workers

scholarly journals The Use of Intersectional Analysis in Assessing Women’s Leadership Progress in the Health Workforce in LMICs: A Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Zeinali ◽  
Kui Muraya ◽  
Sassy Molyneux ◽  
Rosemary Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Gender Equity ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Women's Leadership ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Intersectional Analysis

Background: Human resources are at the heart of health systems, playing a central role in their functionality globally. It is estimated that up to 70% of the health workforce are women, however, this pattern is not reflected in the leadership of health systems where women are under-represented. Methods: This systematized review explored the existing literature around women’s progress towards leadership in the health sector in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) which has used intersectional analysis. Results: While there are studies that have looked at the inequities and barriers women face in progressing towards leadership positions in health systems within LMICs, none explicitly used an intersectionality framework in their approach. These studies did nevertheless show recurring barriers to health systems leadership created at the intersection of gender and social identities such as professional cadre, race/ethnicity, financial status, and culture. These barriers limit women’s access to resources that improve career development, including mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, reduce value, recognition and respect at work for women, and increase the likelihood of women to take on dual burdens of professional work and childcare and domestic work, and, create biased views about effectiveness of men and women’s leadership styles. An intersectional lens helps to better understand how gender intersects with other social identities which results in upholding these persisting barriers to career progression and leadership. Conclusion: As efforts to reduce gender inequity in health systems are gaining momentum, it is important to look beyond gender and take into account other intersecting social identities that create unique positionalities of privilege and/or disadvantage. This approach should be adopted across a diverse range of health systems programs and policies in an effort to strengthen gender equity in health and specifically human resources for health (HRH), and improve health system governance, functioning and outcomes.

Need for Increased Investment in Human Resource for Health in India: Estimating the Required Investment for Increased Production of Health Professionals for Achieving Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anup Karan ◽  
Himanshu Negandhi ◽  
Mehnaz Kabeer ◽  
Tomas Zapata ◽  
Dilip Mairembam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Health Worker ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
National Income ◽  
Health Coverage

Abstract BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of having sufficient, well-distributed and competent health workforce. In addition to improving health outcomes, increased investment has the potential to generate employment, increase labour productivity along with fostering economic growth. With COVID-19 highlighting the gaps in human resources for health in India, there is a need to better and empirically understand the level of required investment for increasing the production of health workforce in India for achieving the UHC/SDGs.METHODS: The study used data from a range of sources including National Health Workforce Account 2018, Periodic Labour Force Survey 2018-19, population projection of Census of India, and review of government documents and reports. The study estimated shortages in the health workforce and required investments to achieve recommended health worker: population ratio thresholds by the terminal year of the SDGs 2030.RESULTS: Our results suggest that to meet the threshold of 34.5 skilled health worker per 10,000 population, there will be a shortfall of 0.16 million doctors and 0.65 nurses/midwives in the total stock of human resources for health by the year 2030. The shortages at the same threshold will be much higher (0.57 million doctors and 1.98 million nurses/midwives) in active health workforce by 2030. The shortages are even higher when compared with a higher threshold of 44.5 health workers per 10,000 population. The estimated investment for the required increase in the production of health workforce ranges from INR 523 billion to 2,580 billion for doctors. For nurses/midwives, the required investment is INR 1,096 billion. Such investment during 2021-25 has the potential of an additional employment generation within the health sector to the tune of 5.4 million and contribute to national income to the extent of INR 3,429 billion annually.Conclusion: India needs to significantly increase the production of doctors and nurses(/midwives) through investing in opening up of new medical colleges. Nursing sector should be prioritized to encourage talents to join nursing profession and provide quality education. India needs to set-up a benchmark of skill-mix ratio and provide attractive employment opportunities in health sector to increase the demand and absorb the new supply of graduates.

scholarly journals Building institutional capacity for a future health workforce. The WHO Global HRH Strategy

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Jacob
Keyword(s):  
Human Resources ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Health Planning ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Market Framework ◽  
Framework Approach ◽  
Sustainable Health

Abstract Background There is a growing recognition that the main population health challenges of sustaining universal healthcare coverage (UHC), and responding to the growing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden in all countries of the WHO European Region requires that each Member State has an effective, responsive and adaptive approach to human resources for health (HRH). However, there is a worldwide shortage of health workers and the situation is becoming more challenging globally and regionally. This presentation introduces the WHO Framework for Action, which builds on the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030. The aim is to provide guidance to health policymakers, planners, analysts and others with a responsibility for health workforce issues. Methods The WHO Global Strategy was adopted in 2018 by the 69th World Health Assembly. It has identified four strategic objectives, which have been adapted to the regional context as follows: to transform education and performance, to align planning and investment, to build capacity, and to improve analysis and monitoring. Results The WHO Regional Office for Europe is working with Member States across the Region and supporting efforts to achieve sustainable health workforces. This includes promoting the use of the Labour Market Framework approach and maximising the utility of the National Health Workforce Accounts for national use and as a contributor to sustainable human resources for health planning. Conclusions Having a sustainable health workforce in place with the right skills and competencies is critical to making progress towards achieving UHC. Effective implementation of a labour market framework approach, including multisectoral workforce governance, can support effective, responsive and adaptive approaches to human resources for health.

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