The Work of the HWAI

The global shortage of health workers poses one of the greatest challenges to health and development for developing nations. The severe shortages of health workers also pose a major obstacle to scaling up quality health services, particularly to people living in rural areas and to disadvantaged or marginalized populations. The World Health Organization estimates that 57 countries – 39 of which are African nations – have severe shortages and require some 4.3 million health workers to fill immediate and critical gaps in fragile health systems.

To respond to this global challenge, HWAI works on four key issues to take further: Migration, task shifting, mainstreaming and financing HRH.

Working groups are addressing these issues and are lead by a network member and are supported by the secretariat. All HWAI members are encouraged to sign up and participate in one or more working groups, share their experience, expertise and strategies for advocacy, and take up tasks to realize identified activities.