• £15 million from authorities’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) price range allotted to help healthcare workforces in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana
• Funding will assist upskill workers and enhance well being outcomes by way of improved administration, knowledge assortment and coaching and retention alternatives
• Supporting robust worldwide well being workforce higher equips UK to sort out international well being challenges

The UK will present a multi-million pound increase to help healthcare workers recruitment and retention in three African nations – Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana – supporting resilience in opposition to international well being challenges.

Fifteen million kilos from the ring-fenced Official Development Assistance (ODA) price range for 2022-2025 shall be dedicated to optimise, construct and strengthen the well being workforce within the three African nations. Recognising the significance of the well being workforce in decrease and middle- earnings nations in bettering well being outcomes and reaching common well being protection, the funding will allow folks in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana to entry to the complete vary of well being providers they want, after they want it.

The Covid pandemic demonstrated the necessity for the UK to cooperate intently with worldwide companions to sort out international well being threats, which put appreciable stress on the NHS. The pandemic additionally resulted in workforce retention pressures around the globe, while the demand for healthcare workers has elevated. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates a scarcity of 10 million well being employees globally by 2030, which threatens reaching international common well being protection and will worsen worldwide well being inequalities.

Addressing important workforce challenges is vital to strengthening well being programs and constructing international resilience in opposition to future pandemics so folks the world over – together with within the UK – might be protected.

Health Minister Will Quince stated:

Highly expert, resilient workers are the spine of a powerful well being service, so I’m delighted we will help the coaching, recruitment and retention of expert well being workforces in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.

This funding goals to make an actual distinction in strengthening the efficiency of well being programs in every of the collaborating nations, which can have a knock-on impact on boosting international pandemic preparedness and lowering well being inequalities.

The pandemic confirmed us that sufferers within the UK usually are not protected until the world as a complete is resilient in opposition to well being threats, and this can assist us in delivering on that ambition.

Six million kilos from the ODA funding pledge will help the WHO to ship well being workforce planning and capacity-building work – akin to improved administration programs and coaching and retention alternatives – in collaboration with native governments and well being system stakeholders.

As a part of this bundle, the Department of Health and Social Care may also run a £9 million two-year aggressive grant scheme for a not-for-profit organisation to coordinate supply of partnership work in collaborating nations.

The partnership programmes for the well being workforce embody linking UK establishments with native well being programs, selling abilities exchanges and bettering the curriculum, regulation and steering in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.

The supply coordinator shall be accountable for organising, funding and overseeing this work to drive enchancment in high quality and retention of healthcare workers within the three nations and in the end assist to make sure higher outcomes for sufferers.

The funding builds on £5 million beforehand dedicated as a part of the Building the Future International Workforce ODA programme in Ghana, Uganda and Somaliland which goals to enhance well being workforce planning and administration, present coaching alternatives for refugees and displaced folks and hyperlink NHS establishments with nation well being establishments.

Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana have been chosen for the ODA award as they confirmed a transparent want for workforce help, evidenced by excessive inhabitants mortality charges and low workers numbers, in addition to unemployment amongst their educated well being employees.