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This article shares experiences and insights gained, primarily in Zambia but also in Malawi, from the implementation of the “Caring for Caregivers” projects in Zambia and Malawi. [from author]

This article presents information and approaches for estimating human resource needs and identifies approaches and innovations to take into consideration as antiretroviral programs are developed, implemented, and monitored. [from author]

This document outlines the primary causes of the human resources for health crisis and the need to address both institutional and individual factors to cope with these challenges. [adapted from author]

This study examined whether a pictorial set of job aids could improve the quality of maternal and newborn care counseling by skilled providers and whether similar performance levels could be achieved by clinic-based lay providers as part of a task shifting initiative to expand their role. [from author]

As part of the collaborative to improve the efficiency of HIV service delivery, the authors conducted a baseline assessment of HIV/AIDS provider productivity, efficiency, and engagement in Uganda. [adapted from author]

This brief outlines a collaborative to improve health worker performance and improve the quality and efficiency of maternal care services by building the capacity of local management and health workers to implement sustainable improvements in maternal care provided in Tahoua. [adapted from author]

This report considers the available evidence about the relationship between staffing levels and deployment practices and safety of care for mothers and babies. In so doing, the report considers different staffing models and approaches.

This report discusses and analyzes labor market dynamics and outcomes (including unemployment, worker shortages, and urban-rural imbalances of categories of health workers) from a labor economics perspective to address undesirable outcomes (including urban-rural HRH imbalances) more effectively. [adapted from summary]

This report estimates the number of mental health workers required to treat mental, neurological and substance use disorders, which account for an estimated 14% of the global burden of disease. The workforce shortage is estimated based on comparing this needed number of mental health workers with the supply. [from summary]

This issue of CapacityPlus Voices highlights the role of human resources management for FBOs in the health sector. Dr. Samuel Mwenda, ACHAP chairman and Christian Health Association of Kenya general secretary, and Doris Mwarey, ACHAP’s regional HR specialist, share their views and explain how countries are learning from each other. [from author]

The purpose of this brief is to highlight the importance of service providers in contraceptive security and identify recommended entry points at various levels of the health system to strengthen the role of service providers in contraceptive security. [from author]

The term “Desa Siaga” describes the concept of community members owning their own resources and capacities for preventing and overcoming their own health problems, health emergencies and disasters based on mutual support and in a spirit of togetherness. This cost analysis provides additional information for all stakeholders contributing to informed decision making regarding DS implementation and this from an economic perspective. [from executive summary]

This paper reflects an initial review of aid effectiveness in relation to human resources for health. It asks whether the recent aid effectiveness agenda, as expressed in commitments made to the Paris Declaration, is responding appropriately to the specific needs of HRH and countries’ efforts to strengthen and scale up human resources. [from author]

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the impact of nurse turnover and highlight the benefits of workforce stability. The cost of turnover and turnover issues are examined in relation to the existing literature and with an international lens. [from summary]

This report examines the growing phenomenon of the international migration of skilled health workers (nurses, doctors and more specialised workers, such as pharmacists, radiologists and lab technicians) in the Asia-Pacific region. [from summary]

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of an Afghanistan community midwifery program in Takhar Province, to capture key lessons learnt from the first round of training, and to draw conclusions for future initiatives. [adapted from author]

This report links the high rates of maternal mortality with the health worker crisis in fragile states1. It explores the causes of maternal death, highlighting where and why these deaths are occurring. It also contrasts the need to fund health workers and strengthen health systems with the present aid allocations to health. [from author]

This paper captures the professional, personal and national effects conflict is having on health workers and the inadequate protection they currently work under. It explores the context in which health staff are working in some of the world’s most fragile countries. It outlines the high rates of death and disease and the vital role health workers play in not only addressing these needs, but in meeting global health targets. [from introduction]

All disasters are a health issue with national health workers at the heart of every response. This research into the role of national and international health workers after the 2010 earthquake in Haitie signals a need to rethink how the humanitarian community works with national health system and stresses how a strong health system offers vital protection from disaster-related risks.

The objectives of this scoping exercise were to provide an overview of existing definitions and concepts of health human resources productivity; a summary of the important contributions in literature; an overview of the leading researchers/centres with expertise on this topic; and
gaps and priorities for further research. [adapted from summary]

This paper presents a randomized feld experiment on community-based monitoring of public primary health care providers in Uganda. Through two rounds of village meetings, localized NGOs encouraged communities to be more involved with the state of health service provision and strengthened their capacity to hold their local health providers to account for performance. A year after the intervention, treatment communities are more involved in monitoring the provider; health workers appear to exert higher effort to serve the community; and there was a positive impact on child health.

Faith-based organizations are integral partners in the global response to the AIDS crisis, often comprising sizable percentages of total health-care capacity in a country or region. This study aimed to better understand the perceptions and priorities of these key members of the global public health community about the past, present and future roles of faith-based organizations in AIDS prevention, treatment and support. [from preface]

This brief outlines the global health worker shortage, the need for better training, using digital media and technology to improve global health, and advocates for better diplomacy through better health.

This report will address the need to expand the global healthcare workforce and international emergency medical response mechanisms. It will also analyze the current mechanisms and channels that mobilize and coordinate healthcare volunteers in response to international disasters. The report will provide several collaborative pathways through which non-governmental organizations can coordinate their international emergency response efforts with volunteer teams of healthcare providers. [from introduction]

In this issue of the CapacityPlus Voices, Laurence Codjia of the Global Health Workforce Alliance shares her views on the role of stakeholder leadership groups in making progress on health workforce plans. [from publisher]

This report is intended to assist in the process of rejuvenating dialogue and partnership with FBOs in the face of widespread health challenges in communities around the world, not least of which is HIV/AIDS. The revival of the primary healthcare model within WHO underscores that if this framework is to be promoted as a more sustainable system of health servicing and delivery, then the inclusion of FBOs will add greater potential for breadth and effectiveness. [from summary]

This chapter of “Developing Pathways and Partnerships” outlines the dimensions of and describes the characteristics of FBO HIV/AIDS initiatives, utilizing where possible evidence from published studies. It explains why FBO initiatives remain poorly understood and receive insufficient support from government sectors and development organizations. It concludes with lessons learned in mainstreaming FBO HIV/AIDS initiatives, suggesting ways in which external agencies can strengthen faith-based HIV/AIDS initiatives and help them align with accepted best practices and public-health strategies.

This supplement to “Sexual and Reproductive Health: Core Competencies in Primary Care” presents of the results of a survey to identify what sexual and reproductive health provision is offered in primary health care, the delivery points and which health workers are providing it especially relevant to the African Region. [adapted from introduction]

This supplement to “Sexual and Reproductive Health: Core Competencies in Primary Care” presents the development, pilot study and sample of results from a survey to identify what sexual and reproductive health provision is offered in primary health care and which health workers are providing this in developing and a few developed countries. [adapted from introduction]

The core sexual and reproductive health (SRH) competencies that are desirable for use in primary health care (PHC) are collected together in this document. They reflect the attitudes, tasks, knowledge and skills that health personnel in PHC may need, to protect, promote and provide SRH in the community. [from publisher]