The Global Health Initiative and the health workforce

The United States Government (USG) strategy for global health is embodied in the Global Health Initiative (GHI), announced by President Obama in 2009. The GHI addresses the array of US global health programs and concerns. There is laudable recognition of the health workforce crisis as a major barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the USG's global health goals. Significant funding is provided to train health workers and conduct other activities that may be seen as addressing the health workforce crisis. Unfortunately, the USG approach to the health workforce is not guided by a coherent strategy. In sharp contrast to its approach to more traditional, disease-specific programs, the GHI fails to articulate objectives, technical approach, metrics, organization, staffing or resource allocation with regard to the health workforce. The result is a series of projects unguided by any framework. The article outlines a health workforce strategy for the GHI. It proposes objectives, a technical approach, key indicators of progress, structural reforms and resource requirements.