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Addressing health worker migration in Africa
Sunny C Okoroafor1, James Avoka Asamani1, San Boris Bediakon1
1Universal Health Coverage - Life Course Cluster, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
Journal of Health Services Research & Policy
|December 24, 2025
Summary
Africa faces a critical health worker shortage, with a projected deficit of 6.1 million by 2030. Addressing migration and strengthening health workforces are vital for achieving sustainable development goals in healthcare.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Health Workforce Development
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Significant investments have improved healthcare access in Africa, yet critical health worker shortages persist.
- The region falls short of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for health professionals per capita.
- An estimated 6.1 million health worker deficit is projected by 2030 without urgent intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the challenges and opportunities in African health workforce development.
- To examine the impact of health worker migration on local healthcare systems.
- To propose strategies for managing health worker migration and strengthening the workforce.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of health workforce trends and migration patterns in the African region.
- Review of existing health planning and workforce information systems.
- Examination of factors influencing health worker migration and retention.
Main Results:
- Health worker migration, driven by demand in high-income countries and an aging workforce, exacerbates shortages.
- Weak tracking mechanisms for health worker migration hinder effective planning.
- Limited progress towards SDG health workforce targets despite development efforts.
Conclusions:
- Strengthening local healthcare systems requires addressing the drivers of health worker migration.
- Mutually beneficial agreements and policies are needed to manage international health worker migration.
- Comprehensive health labor market analyses and retention strategies are essential for African countries.
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