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WHO Warns: 11 Million Health Workers Needed by 2030
18 Sep
Summary
- A projected 11.1 million global health workers shortage by 2030.
- Sixty-seven countries may lack adequate medical staff by 2030.
- Higher income countries face the most significant retirement impacts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted a critical global shortage of health workers expected in the 2030s, projecting a deficit of 11.1 million by the year 2030. This looming crisis is exacerbated by simultaneously aging populations and aging health workforces in many nations.
By 2030, an estimated 67 countries could face insufficient medical staffing, potentially impacting current healthcare standards. The report indicates a need for an additional 832,000 health workers just to maintain existing staff-to-population ratios. This could lead to increased reliance on foreign healthcare workers, especially affecting poorer nations.
Higher income countries, including many in Europe, are anticipated to bear the brunt of this shortage. A significant portion of their healthcare professionals, approximately one in three doctors, are due to retire over the next decade, posing a substantial challenge to their healthcare systems.
