Abstract
BackgroundThere is increasing attention, globally and in countries, to monitoring and addressing the health systems and human resources inputs, processes and outputs that impede or facilitate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health. We reviewed the situation of human resources for health (HRH) in 68 low- and middle-income countries that together account for over 95% of all maternal and child deaths.MethodsWe collected and analysed cross-nationally comparable data on HRH availability, distribution, roles and functions from new and existing sources, and information from country reviews of HRH interventions that are associated with positive impacts on health services delivery and population health outcomes.ResultsFindings from 68 countries demonstrate availability of doctors, nurses and midwives is positively correlated with coverage of skilled birth attendance. Most (78%) of the target countries face acute shortages of highly skilled health personnel, and large variations persist within and across countries in workforce distribution, skills mix and skills utilization. Too few countries appropriately plan for, authorize and support nurses, midwives and community health workers to deliver essential maternal, newborn and child health-care interventions that could save lives.ConclusionsDespite certain limitations of the data and findings, we identify some key areas where governments, international partners and other stakeholders can target efforts to ensure a sufficient, equitably distributed and efficiently utilized health workforce to achieve MDGs 4 and 5.
Highlights
There is increasing attention, globally and in countries, to monitoring and addressing the health systems and human resources inputs, processes and outputs that impede or facilitate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health
With only four years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), this year presents a critical opportunity for action to increase investment and support to countries to strengthen their basic health systems, including their health workforce, to deliver essential health services that could save the lives of women and children
This paper focuses on an area critical to policymakers, implementers and donors, namely the collection and use of strategic information on human resources for health (HRH) for decision making and performance monitoring to achieve the MDGs for maternal and child health
Summary
There is increasing attention, globally and in countries, to monitoring and addressing the health systems and human resources inputs, processes and outputs that impede or facilitate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health. The initiative aimed to support strengthening of national health systems in developing countries, in order to enable accelerated delivery of key interventions for improved maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes along the continuum of care. With only four years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the MDGs, this year presents a critical opportunity for action to increase investment and support to countries to strengthen their basic health systems, including their health workforce, to deliver essential health services that could save the lives of women and children. This paper focuses on an area critical to policymakers, implementers and donors, namely the collection and use of strategic information on human resources for health (HRH) for decision making and performance monitoring to achieve the MDGs for maternal and child health
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