Global Health Workforce Economics Network

Our Objectives

1. Build a network of health workforce economics researchers and economics research centers from various sectors, including universities, governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and other stakeholders with interest in global health and development.

2. Train health economics workforce scholars and health systems economics professionals - especially from low and middle income countries - to perform, assess, and implement research. As trainees progress in learning research methods, the program will work with them to develop research projects in their own country or region, and to support the research projects in an inclusive way regarding both the objectives of the program and the workforce development priorities and strategies of the country or region.

3. Conduct economics research on workforce needs and solutions, including:

   • The measurement and monitoring of the capacity of the global health workforce to meet health systems goals and objectives;

   • The dynamics of health workforce supply and demand, retention and productivity, labor markets, wage levels, and other monetary and non-monetary incentives;

   • The effect of health workforce skills mix, distribution, mobility, and demographics on access to and quality of care;

   • The education and training requirements for health workers under various health care delivery systems, including the technical, financial and human resources needed to scale up education and training.

4. Contribute to the international effort to develop evidence-based policy options, and advise countries on making the most effective use of their health workforce as they work to reduce shortages and imbalances, improve workforce quality, and enhance retention.

Network Proposed Governance Structure and Roles

• Steering Committee

  Who WHO, WB, UCB, GHWA What (1) Set tone and communicate to broader arena (2) Input on critical decisions: specific programs, regional forums (3) Ensure financial and directional funding and support

  • Committee Operations Management

    Who TBI What Develop structure for specific programs focused on topics of interest to in country policymakers

  • Committee Operations Management

    Who TBI What (1) Develop structure for training in research fields/areas identified as critical (2) Work with in country economists/students

Executor Teams (part of both Committee Operations Management)

Who Representatives in country (economists, trainees and potential trainers, academics/educators); and from International Organizations on SC, who execute training and research programs What Logistics, content, actual training and quantitative and qualitative research

World Health Organization

WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

World Bank

The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world.

Global World Health Alliance

The Global Health Workforce Alliance (The Alliance) was created in 2006 as a common platform for action to address the crisis. The Alliance is a partnership of national governments, civil society, international agencies, finance institutions, researchers, educators and professional associations dedicated to identifying, implementing and advocating for solutions.