Shortfall of 5.9 Million Nurses Worldwide: WHO

The World Health Organisation has
released The State of the World's Nursing 2020 with an urgent call to increase
the investment in nursing and fill the gaps in the workforce. The priority
areas of investment are in nursing education, jobs and leadership to improve
the health of all. Nurses account for more than half of all the world’s health
workers, providing vital services throughout the health system. Historically,
as well as today, nurses are at the forefront of fighting epidemics and
pandemics that threaten health across the globe. Around the world they are
demonstrating their compassion, bravery and courage as they respond to the
COVID-19 pandemic: never before has their value been more clearly demonstrated.
‘Nurses are the backbone of any
health system. Today, many nurses find themselves on the frontline in the
battle against Covid-19,’ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director
General. ‘This report is a stark reminder of the unique role they play, and a
wakeup call to ensure they get the support they need to keep the world
healthy.’
The report, by the World Health
Organization (WHO) in partnership with the International Council of Nurses
(ICN) and Nursing Now, reveals that today, there are just under 28 million
nurses worldwide. Between 2013 and 2018, nursing numbers increased by 4.7
million. But this still leaves a global shortfall of 5.9 million - with the
greatest gaps found in countries in Africa, South East Asia and the WHO Eastern
Mediterranean region as well as some parts of Latin America.
Revealingly, more than 80 per
cent of the world’s nurses work in countries that are home to half of the
world’s population. And one in every eight nurses, practices in a country other
than the one where they were born or trained. Ageing also threatens the nursing
workforce: one out of six of the world’s nurses are expected to retire in the
next 10 years.
To avert the global shortage, the
report estimates that countries experiencing shortages need to increase the
total number of nurse graduates by on average 8% per year, along with improved
ability to be employed and retained in the health system. This would cost
roughly USD 10 per capita (population) per year.
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