Africa faces a growing crisis in its healthcare system. A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows many health workers are not finding jobs or staying in their countries. The continent has produced more trained health professionals than ever before. However, millions of people still cannot get the medical care they need. Hundreds of thousands of these trained workers are unemployed.
The report, titled 'State of the Health Workforce in Africa 2026: Plan. Train. Retain,' was released on May 6, 2026. It was presented at the Second Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum in Accra. The crisis is linked to problems with hiring, job distribution, and keeping health workers in their roles. Africa's health workforce grew to 5.72 million in 2024. This is up from 4.3 million in 2018. Still, the continent has only 46% of the health workers it requires. This shortfall means millions miss out on vital medical services.
A shocking number of health workers remain jobless. In 2024 alone, approximately 943,000 trained health workers were unemployed. This happens while health systems are struggling. They do not have enough staff. Ghana's Vice President, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, spoke at the forum. She stressed the importance of human capital. Investing in health workers, she said, is essential for economic and development progress. Ghana's Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, agreed. He stated that training alone is insufficient. Creating jobs and keeping talent are also critical. The WHO has slightly adjusted its prediction for Africa's health worker shortage. By 2030, the shortage is now expected to be 5.85 million. This is down from a previous estimate of 6.1 million. However, this improvement is seen as fragile.
Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, commented on the situation. He noted that the crisis is more complex than just a lack of workers. "The crisis is no longer defined by scarcity alone," he warned. "Too many remain unemployed while millions go without care." The problem is also with the quality of care. Health professionals only correctly diagnose about 62% of cases. They provide the right treatment in only 40% of instances. This puts patients at risk. Retention is another major hurdle. Nearly 46% of health workers are considering leaving Africa. Poor working conditions and limited career paths drive this. Absenteeism also costs health systems dearly. It can take up to 20% of wage budgets.
Despite these challenges, the report highlights a significant investment opportunity. For every US$1 put into the health workforce, the financial return could be up to 10 times. The broader social and economic benefits could be more than 30 times. To fix this, countries need to spend more. An increase of about US$4 per person annually is suggested. Alternatively, workforce budgets could grow by 15% each year. Leaders meeting in Accra are expected to make new commitments. They will also review progress under the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter. The forum will launch the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035. This strategy aims to improve how countries plan, train, and keep their health workers.