MoH to double its workforce from 42, 630 to 80, 274

Dr Chitalu Chilufya – Health Minister

The Ministry of Health has noted the need to double the workforce in the health sector from the current 42, 630 to 80, 274 by training and recruiting an additional 37, 644 staff by 2025.

Representing Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya at the Launch of the 2019 to 2023 National Human Resources for Health (NHRH) Strategic Plan, ministry of health permanent secretary for administration, Dr. Kennedy Malama says this is the health workforce strength that is required to satisfactorily serve Zambia’s projected population of 20. 5 million by 2025.

Dr. Malama says the huge investment in financial human resources required to achieve the human resource for health self sufficiency vision is not lost to the ministry, but rather the imminent sacrifice that underpins the ambitious plan to attain human resources for health.

He states that while the ministry of health is committed to doing its utmost to create jobs for health professionals and recruiting them until the right numbers and balance of skill mix is available to achieve universal health coverage and the mission of the 2017 to 2021 national health strategic plan, other sectors must play their part.

Dr Malama says while the implementation of the NHRH strategic plan will be financed mostly by national treasury allocation from the national budget, the national health insurance scheme, and income generating activities of training institutions, there is need for development partners and other stakeholders to closely study the strategic priorities and identify where they can support.

Speaking at the same launch, Ministry of Health Permanent secretary in-charge of training, Professor Elwyn Chomba says the NHRH strategic plan will help train enough quality health workers to help address disease outbreaks such as cholera.

Professor Chomba says services must be provided in a timely manner and not only when there are disease outbreaks.