KIT is working in Togo, Guinea, Benin, and Burkina Faso to improve their quality of maternal and child health services through workforce planning and forecasting. Feasible interventions have been implemented through collaboration and information sharing between stakeholders. This is part of a move towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Projections and analysis

With more countries adhering to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), it is now necessary to determine the need for health workers and to ensure that they are used in the most efficient way. KIT assisted various Ministries of Health in estimating the need for human health resources (HRH) in the next decade through projections of the future population size, its geographical distribution and maternal and neonatal health services’ needs.

Our estimates took into account the preferences and behaviour of health professionals in the health labour market. Since labour market dynamics differ per profession and per geographical area, future needs for health personnel were analysed per profession, region and residence (urban and rural).

Analysis was conducted with:

• The Ministries of Health, Civil Service, Finance, and Education
• Professional associations and representatives
• Health training institutes
• Civil society organisations

The analysis provided the basis for the ongoing joint development of targeted interventions towards achieving a sustainable workforce in light of UHC. These interventions are being subjected to a feasibility analysis and a consultation and advocacy process, in order to secures a broad support base and financing for a final set of targeted, high-impact interventions that are ready to be implemented.