Working for Health

A joint programme to expand and transform the health and social workforce to drive inclusive economic growth and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Working for Health

Health workers grow economies. Working for Health is working with countries to invest in health workers to drive economic growth, and create decent jobs, especially for youth and women.
The world is facing a shortfall of 18 million health workers. Working for Health is galvanizing the expansion and transformation of health jobs to prevent this.
Health and social care workers are vital for achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Health workers represent over fifty percent of the resources needed to achieve the health SDG Working for Health is catalysing change to ensure that health and social care workers are educated, employed, enabled and engaged.
The health and social sectors are major job creators. It is anticipated that 40 million new health and social care jobs will be created by 2030.

News

WHO launches new guideline on health policy and system support to optimize community health worker programmes

26 October 2018 – The new WHO guideline on health policy and system support to optimize community health worker programmes was launched at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care, in Astana. The guideline uses state-of-the-art evidence to identify effective policy options to strengthen community health worker (CHW) programme performance through their proper integration in health systems and communities.

Meeting of the International Platform on Health Worker Mobility, 13th and 14th of September 2018

14 September 2018 – The meeting of the International Platform on Health Worker Mobility took place on the 13th and 14th of September 2018 at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting was jointly hosted by ILO, OECD, and WHO, as part of the Working for Health Programme. It built on the previously held High Level Dialogue on International Health Worker Migration.

West African Economic and Monetary Union adopt the first ever sub-regional health workforce investment action plan

May 2018 – Following the recommendations of the High Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth, the West African and Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries has been the first sub-regional economic group to engage in developing a sub-regional health workforce investment plan and intensify regional cooperation to boost health employment.

Bangladesh undertakes steps to assess health labour dynamics.

17 May 2018 – A Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA) has been initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in Bangladesh with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) Bangladesh. The analysis will help the Government to better understand the labour dynamics and shape policies that will improve population access to health care.

Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage: the evidence on contributions and effectiveness of community health workers

May 2018 – A side event on the contributions of Community Health Workers to Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage attracted a large group of high-level delegates, policymakers, civil society organizations, youth and health workers on the opening day of the 71st World Health Assembly at the UN in Geneva.