Nigeria and other  members of the World Health Assembly on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to protect and invest in the global health and care workforce,

They also pledged to identify specific actions to address national shortages of health and care workforce conditions of work, and the increasing rates of health worker migration.

The 78th WHA, WHO’s highest decision-making body, which opened on May 19 and will end on May 27, brings together delegations from 194 member states, including Nigeria.

The Assembly reviewed the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030, which highlights a slowdown in progress and an increase in the projected global shortfall in health workers to 11.1 million by 2030, up from the 2022 estimate of 10.2 million.

Countries adopted a resolution – sponsored by Nigeria, Germany, Morocco, the Philippines, and Thailand – calling for accelerated investment in health professionals’ education, job creation, and retention; improved working conditions; and a harnessing of the potential of digital technologies and AI in support of health workers.

The assembly also considered new data and recommendations on the international migration of health workers and how to strengthen ethical recruitment in alignment with the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.

A record 105 countries reported on international migration.

(NAN)