Though public health facilities complain of understaffing, it has since surfaced that over 900 trained health professionals remain unemployed.
This is according to the World Health Organisation’s 2024 annual report, published yesterday. The report states that 41 per cent of the health workforce has indicated intentions to migrate to other countries in search for greener pastures.
WHO then called for immediate attention to the public sector’s vacancy crisis, particularly in critical service areas such as the nursing and emergency care units.
The report said the ministry reported 480 health workforce vacancies across various roles, for which 189 posts had been filled following the launch of a targeted campaign to fill priority positions.
This, according to the report, was particularly significant, given the longstanding hiring freeze implemented under Circular No. 3 of 2018, which was aimed at managing the national wage bill.
The report added that in 2024, Eswatini made significant progress in addressing the country’s critical health workforce shortage, which was a key barrier to achieving the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improving population health outcomes.
“The Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA), conducted with technical and financial support from WHO, indicated that the overall stock of health workforce for Eswatini across 51 major health workforce occupations in 2022 was estimated to be about 9 741 and identified a health worker deficit of 10 531 professionals in 2023 since need-based modelling estimated that Eswatini needed at least 20 272 health workers in the same year,” reads the report in part.
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If the current trend persist, this gap was projected to increase to 14 125 by 2032. These findings prompted urgent action to address the shortage and enhance HRH, which was a crucial foundation for a resilient and equitable health system.
According to the report, the ministry of health, in collaboration with WHO, used the Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA’s) evidence-based recommendations to inform the development of Eswatini’s Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
This forthcoming strategy aligned with the country’s broader National Health Sector Strategic Plan (NHSSP) 2024–2028, which prioritises strengthening the health system, providing equitable access to essential services, and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“At the impact level, the implemertation of HLMA recommendations has already led to improved service delivery through increased staffing levels and enhanced access to care for underserved populations, including women, children, and people living with disabilities,” added the report.
At the outcome level, the ministry of health successfully advocated for and secured approval to recruit 480 healthcare workers, marking a significant shift in addressing the workforce gap despite existing hiring restrictions.
“By the end of 2024, about 189 of these healthcare worker positions had been filled, improving the availability of healthcare services across all levels of the health system. This increase in staffing has enhanced the reach and quality of care in health facilities, contributing to better health outcomes and reduced service delivery bottlenecks, particularly in primary care.”
WHO said the HRH Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030 had been compiled, and the Workforce Investment Plan and Compact would be developed and would reflect government and potential donor commitment to long-term investment in health workforce planning and sustainability.
“Addressing these challenges necessitates multi-sectorial collaboration.
The ministry, with the support of WHO, is spearheading advocacy efforts to secure exemptions from the hiring freeze for critical health positions and to engage stakeholders across government, development partners, and the private sector,” said the report.
While progress had been made, ongoing gaps in recruitment, retention, and motivation of health workers present significant risks to achieving health targets.
WHO further advised Eswatini to continue to invest in health workforce development through policy reform, scaling up training, improving working conditions, and implementing stronger retention strategies, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Eswatini Observer Press Reader
