Health worker resourcing to meet universal health coverage in Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Health workers enable service delivery by providing care to patients. Universal health coverage (UHC) aims for equitable access to decent, affordable healthcare. There are barriers in health service delivery, which will be more challenging to navigate as nations set out to achieve UHC. Africa has a major health worker shortage, limited infrastructure, is under-resourced financially and has the highest burden of disease, which constrains its ability to deliver quality, affordable, and equitable healthcare. Given the short supply, health workers must therefore be optimally resourced for effective health service delivery to impoverished, vulnerable, and underserved people particularly the most afflicted in rural communities. Motivating health workers, identifying the right skills mix and training, configuring teams, and effectively leveraging nurses and midwives for health service delivery are some key elements for optimal resourcing of the limited health workforce. As a scarce and critical resource, health workers require good management, training, infrastructure, and supplies to enable them to perform their duties. Motivated health workers will deliver quality, affordable, and equitable healthcare to advance UHC.