Africa is entering a decisive moment in its health-care journey as countries, experts, and institutions unite to shape the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035. This ambitious plan, agreed upon in Pretoria in November 2025, represents a continental commitment to transform how the region trains, employs, and retains health workers.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa convened Member States, universities, professional councils, and development partners to set a unified direction for the next decade. The urgency is clear: Africa faces a projected shortage of 6.1 million health workers by 2030, a gap that threatens the delivery of quality, people-centered care across the continent.
The consultation highlighted the need for bold reforms in governance, education, employment, and financing. As Dr. Adelheid Onyango, Director of Health Systems and Services at WHO Africa, stated, “These outcomes reflect a shared continental vision for a workforce that is fit for purpose and positioned to deliver quality, people-centred care. The next decade must be transformational. If we do not act boldly and collectively, the gap between what our health systems need and the workers available will only widen.”
This statement captures the urgency of aligning Africa’s health workforce with the growing demands of its population. Despite tripling its workforce from 1.6 million in 2013 to 5.1 million in 2022, Africa continues to struggle with mismatches between training outputs and labor market needs, outdated education models, and chronic underinvestment in training institutions.
The Africa Health Workforce Agenda is designed to modernize medical education, expand opportunities for healthcare jobs, and strengthen retention strategies. Many newly trained health workers face unemployment or migrate abroad, leaving gaps in local systems. Dr. Percy Mahlathi of South Africa emphasized the importance of unity, saying, “Let this mark a turning point in how we plan, train, deploy and retain the health workers our continent needs. With unity and determination, Africa can build a health workforce capable of meeting both present and future demands.” His words reflect the shared determination to reverse the trend of attrition and migration that has weakened Africa’s healthcare systems.
Central to the plan is the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, which calls for scaling up investments in healthcare training and employment. Governments, regional bodies, and development partners are urged to sustain political momentum and financial commitments. WHO has already convened Member States to update national health workforce data, ensuring that planning is guided by robust labor-market intelligence.
Dr. James Asamani, Team Lead for Health Workforce at WHO Africa, noted, “This consultation has been more than a technical exchange; it has solidified an Africa-wide commitment to reshape the future of health workforce development. The consensus achieved here provides clear direction for the agenda that countries will endorse and launch next year.” His statement reflects the collective resolve to institutionalize accountability and evidence-based planning.
The challenges are immense but not insurmountable. Africa’s health systems must address outdated, theory-heavy education models by modernizing curricula to meet real-world service delivery needs. Investment in training institutions is critical to ensure that graduates are not only well-prepared but also absorbed into the healthcare labor market.
The mismatch between training and employment has created frustration among young professionals, many of whom face unemployment despite the continent’s urgent need for healthcare workers. By aligning education with employment opportunities, Africa can create a sustainable pipeline of doctors, nurses, midwives, and specialists who are motivated to serve locally rather than seek opportunities abroad.
The Africa Health Workforce Agenda also emphasizes the importance of retention. Migration of skilled health workers to wealthier regions has long drained Africa of talent, leaving communities underserved. By improving working conditions, offering competitive salaries, and investing in career development, countries can reduce attrition and strengthen healthcare delivery.
This is not only a matter of economics but also of equity, ensuring that rural and underserved populations have access to quality healthcare. The agenda envisions a future where Africa’s health workforce is resilient, motivated, and capable of meeting both present and future demands.
The consultation in Pretoria marks a turning point in Africa’s healthcare narrative. With the formal adoption of the Africa Health Workforce Agenda scheduled for 2026, the continent is poised to embark on a decade of transformation. The shared vision is clear: a workforce that is fit for purpose, capable of delivering quality care, and empowered to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
As WHO and its partners call for sustained investment and political commitment, Africa stands at the threshold of a new era in healthcare. The success of this agenda will depend on collective action, bold reforms, and unwavering determination to build a health workforce that truly serves the people of Africa.
