World Health Assembly Adopts Philippine-led Resolution Strengthening Global Health Human Resources
DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa adopts the resolution as the President of the WHA78.
GENEVA 28 May 2025 — The 78th Session of the World Health Assembly (WHA78) adopted a landmark resolution titled, “Accelerating Action on the Global Health and Care Workforce by 2030,” on 27 May 2025, marking a major step forward in global health cooperation and workforce development.
Led by the Philippines, along with Germany, Morocco, Nigeria, and Thailand, and co-sponsored by states including Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Comoros, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Ireland, Jamaica, Lebanon, Moldova, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, and Ukraine, the resolution aims to address critical health workforce challenges and guide World Health Organization (WHO) Member States and the WHO Secretariat in strengthening national and subnational capacities and international cooperation on global health workforce management.
The resolution recognizes that investments in health worker education, employment, fair remuneration, and supportive working conditions are foundational to advancing primary health care and achieving universal health coverage. It promotes stronger international and regional cooperation, partnerships, and technical support to enhance workforce development.
Globally, there are an estimated 70 million health workers, with women comprising 67% of the workforce. However, the WHO projects a shortage of more than 11 million health workers by 2030, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Many health systems face national shortages, uneven distribution, high attrition rates, and increasing migration, demanding urgent global collaboration.
To address these challenges, the resolution calls on Member States to:
- Accelerate implementation of the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 and Working for Health Action Plan 2022-2030;
- Substantially increase the number of qualified health and care workers by addressing education, training, and employment capacity;
- Ensure decent work, safety, and the protection of all health and care workers from discrimination and abuse;
- Strengthen leadership, governance, and strategic workforce planning to improve oversight and management of health workforce agendas;
- Harness the potential of digital health and artificial intelligence safely and effectively; and
- Mobilize increased support from development partners, global health initiatives, international financial institutions, and UN agencies, aligned with national priorities.
View the resolution here: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB156/B156_(27)-en.pdf.
To reinforce momentum behind this global priority, the Philippines, Germany, Ireland, Morocco, Jamaica, along with the World Medical Association and the Frontline Health Workers Coalition, co-hosted a high-level side event entitled, “Building Momentum: Accelerating Action on the Global Health and Care Workforce by 2030,” on 20 May 2025 at the Palais des Nations, the UN’s headquarters in Geneva. The side event highlighted best practices and evidence-based solutions to address the challenges facing the health workforce.
WHA78 took place from 19 to 27 May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland and is being presided over by the Philippines’ Secretary of Health. Hon. Teodoro J. Herbosa, acting as President of the Assembly. END
DOH Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa presents at the side event on “Building Momentum: Accelerating Action on the Global Health and Care Workforce by 2030”