title: Human resources for health: overcoming the crisis.
abstract: In this analysis of the global workforce, the Joint Learning Initiative-a consortium of more than 100 health leaders-proposes that mobilisation and strengthening of human resources for health, neglected yet critical, is central to combating health crises in some of the world's poorest countries and for building sustainable health systems in all countries. Nearly all countries are challenged by worker shortage, skill mix imbalance, maldistribution, negative work environment, and weak knowledge base. Especially in the poorest countries, the workforce is under assault by HIV/AIDS, out-migration, and inadequate investment. Effective country strategies should be backed by international reinforcement. Ultimately, the crisis in human resources is a shared problem requiring shared responsibility for cooperative action. Alliances for action are recommended to strengthen the performance of all existing actors while expanding space and energy for fresh actors.
authors.affiliation: Global Equity Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Lincoln
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Sudhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: Jo Ivey
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Boufford
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Mushtaque
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cueto
authors.forename: Lola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dare
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dussault
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elzinga
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fee
authors.forename: Demissie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Habte
authors.forename: Piya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hanvoravongchai
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurowski
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pablos-Mendez
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sewankambo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solimano
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stilwell
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Waal
authors.forename: Suwit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wibulpolprasert
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D014943:Global Health; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010559:Personnel Management