The world needs seven million additional health workers to meet the goal of high-quality health care for all. A competent workforce with the right skills mix is vital for meeting the demand for family planning, achieving an AIDS-free generation, and ending preventable child and maternal deaths. However, the current resources available to finance health worker education are woefully inadequate, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Rebecca Bailey, IntraHealth lead for health workforce development, will offer an overview of the main financing sources for education and introduce some innovative approaches for diversifying revenue sources with a focus on the private sector.
Sarah Dominis, SHOPS human resources for health specialist, will highlight the importance of engaging the private sector in addressing human resources for health challenges. Dominis will share experiences and lessons learned in private sector financing of health workforce education and the feasibility of student loans in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Heather Ross, IntraHealth technical advisor for health workforce development, will describe the Bottlenecks and Best Buys approach, designed to identify obstacles to increasing the production of competent and qualified health workers that can be overcome through limited yet strategic investments (best buys). Ross will present the case of Nigeria, where bottlenecks assessments found several factors that limit students’ ability to succeed in school, leading to high dropout rates—and wasted investment in education. She will then explain how a strategic program of investments in students, tutors, and learning materials and equipment led to increased graduation rates and higher pass rates on certifying exams.