The event took place alongside the Member States Consultation on the Draft Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035: Plan, Train and Retain, bringing together ministers, policymakers, academic leaders, and development partners to accelerate reforms in health workforce education and investment.

Dr Shenaaz El-Halabi, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative to South Africa, welcomed the consultation, saying it is fitting that the country is hosting this crucial discussion, where key stakeholders are charting the course for Africa’s healthcare workforce.

“Our gathering here today is an indication of a sustained commitment to continue to address the health needs of our people by ensuring they have access to competent and motivated healthcare workers,” she said.

El-Halabi emphasised that strong government leadership is crucial for successfully implementing the health workforce agenda, highlighting the pivotal role of leaders.

She mentioned that key to success also includes using evidence to inform decisions, fostering partnerships and collaboration, boosting investment in the health workforce, and ensuring sustainability of these efforts.

“Since the launch of the Charter 24 countries have taken measures to implement the principles of the charter that potentially impact in ensuring universal access to competent and motivated health workers in Africa,” she said.

She pointed to Zimbabwe as a success story, where the government and partners have signed a groundbreaking workforce investment compact, mobilising over $166 million in domestic and external resources.

She talked about the need to mobilise resources within respective countries, highlighting domestic resource mobilisation as a key step forward.

“Ethiopia, Eswatini and South Africa are actually implementing health workforce development policy, strategies and investment plans,” she said.

Despite the successes, El-Halabi noted that the health workforce in Africa is still beset by significant challenges, citing shortage of health workers as an example.

“Those who are employed do not have decent working conditions,” she said.

In addition, she said  promises made to the health workforce to address their labour issues are not always kept.

Dr. Nertila Tavanxhi, manager for High Impact and South and Eastern Africa Health Financing Support at the Health Financing Department of the Global Fund, said that human resources for health are the backbone of a country’s health system.

She noted that health professionals are the frontline heroes, driving universal health coverage, primary healthcare, pandemic preparedness, and response, especially during crises.

“We are very proud of our long-standing collaboration with WHO. We have been working together with WHO and all of you doing all these analyses, bringing the evidence with that final purpose to secure sustainable financing for human resources, and of course the entire chain of production,” she said.

Tavanxhi reaffirmed her organisation’s commitment to the charter, highlighting key principles like country ownership, evidence-based decision-making, planning, secure financing, and alignment with national priorities

She announced that for this current financial cycle the Global Fund is investing $1.5 billion in human resources for health, focusing on training, remuneration, and protection of health workers, including community health workers.

“And from the Global Fund side it helps us to work together with you to channel some of the  funding towards building this sustainable mechanism and sustainable health workforce across the spectrum,” she said.