Nairobi — The government and the World Health Organization are seeking deeper cooperation on healthcare workforce development amid growing global shortages and increasing migration of skilled health workers.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga held high-level talks with WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge focusing on health workforce collaboration, retention strategies and ethical mobility frameworks for healthcare workers between Africa and Europe.
The discussions centred on advancing a Health Workforce Collaboration Framework aimed at addressing workforce shortages, improving retention, promoting social inclusion and strengthening protection of healthcare workers from violence, burnout and mental health challenges.
Dr. Oluga said Kenya's experience in health sector reforms offers valuable lessons in workforce management and healthcare worker welfare.
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"Kenya has continued to advance health workforce advocacy and reforms through internship policies, collective bargaining agreements and evidence-based research on healthcare worker wellbeing conducted across Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana," Dr. Oluga said.
He added that sustainable health systems depend on investing in the welfare, training and retention of healthcare workers.
The meeting also explored the proposed Africa Center for Health Workforce Initiatives, which seeks to strengthen workforce policies, education and specialization training, migration management and healthcare worker wellbeing across Africa.
According to Dr. Oluga, the initiative could provide a continental platform to coordinate solutions to longstanding workforce challenges.
"The proposed Africa Center for Health Workforce Initiatives will play a critical role in strengthening workforce policies, improving specialization training and supporting ethical migration management and wellbeing of health workers across the continent," he said.
WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Kluge emphasized the need for stronger Africa-Europe collaboration in responding to healthcare workforce pressures.
"Building resilient and sustainable health workforces requires stronger cooperation between Africa and Europe, particularly in advancing ethical mobility, workforce protection and shared solutions that support universal health coverage and global health security," Dr. Kluge said.
The engagement reaffirmed the importance of international partnerships in strengthening health systems as countries confront rising demand for healthcare workers and mounting pressures linked to migration, burnout and staffing shortages.
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