Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health: Key areas for action and the way forward

Overview

The Fifth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health was held from 3-5 April 2023 under the theme Protecting, safeguarding, and investing in the health and care workforce. The Forum convened over 4000 participants online and 200 delegates at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland from more than 160 countries, including government ministers from health, education, labour and finance; labour unions and health professional organizations; global health partners; investors; regulators; educators; civil society; health workers and experts.

The programme included seven high level roundtables, four special sessions and 30 parallel sessions. Participants shared evidence and experiences gained at the halfway point of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and from the COVID-19 pandemic. They explored avenues for scaling up the critical investments needed to progress on universal health coverage given the prevailing macro-economic context and financing constraints. Marking more than five years since the adoption of the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 and the Working for Health Programme, the Forum provided updates on their implementation.

Three key areas for action emerged to urgently prioritize and scale investments to address the global health and care workforce shortage:

• Protect: We must protect the existing workforce and reduce attrition with decent work and improved working conditions.
• Invest: We must position and prioritize investments and action on tackling the health and care workforce shortage at the top of the agenda.
• Together: We must act in solidarity, and with all sectors and partners.