Policy

This brief advocates for measures and funding needed from G8 to ensure that the Millenium Development Goals are achieved and that countries can provide comprehensive primary health care for all. [adapted from author]

This paper presents the results of a recent research priority-setting exercise that identified regional policy concerns and research priorities related to health financing, human resources and the non-state sector, based on stakeholders in nine low and middle income countries in the region. The countries included were Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen. [adapated from abstract]

This report presents the outcomes and resources from a meeting of health workforce crisis countries including information on the crisis in the differenct countries; interventions, challenges and shortages; and progress on the development of strategic HRH plans for each of the crisis countries. [adapted from author]

The authors argue that the influence of governance is undervalued in addressing the HRH crisis, both globally and at country level; and they review a thematic series which aimed to expand the evidence base on the role of governance in addressing the HRH crisis. [adapted from abstract]

This article set out to examine the human resource policy implications of scaling up HIV testing and counselling in Kenya and to analyse the resultant policy against a recognised theoretical framework of health policy reform. [from abstract]

The aims of this policy include: ensuring the appointment of competent and skilled hospital managers; providing for the development of management accountability frameworks; and ensuring the training of managers in leadership, management and governance. [adapated from author]

This paper reports on progress in implementing human resources for health policies in Brazil, in the context of the implementation and expansion of the Unified Health System. [from abstract]

This document outlines the Ministry’s policies regarding the role NGOs play in national health policy and health services, outlines strengths and weaknesses of NGO programs and outlines government standards for integrating and evaluating NGO services. [adapted from author]

This article aims to describe how governance issues have influenced HRH policy development and to identify governance strategies that have been used, successfully or not, to improve HRH policy implementation in low- and middle-income countries. [from introduction]

In order to understand and monitor the progress in developing and implementing HRH policies in the 57 countries experiencing a critical deficit in the health workforce, this tracking survey provides an overview of the current situation in terms of HRH policies, plans, capacities and processes. [from author]

The purpose of this guide is to support the strengthening of existing, or establishing new, human resources for health development departments at the central and subnational levels.

The Peruvian Ministry of Health approved the Policy Guidelines on Human Resources in Health to address important aspects such as training tailored to the needs of the country, development of competencies, decentralized management of human resources, motivation, and commitment. This summary outlines the process of implementing this political and strategic framework for carrying out programs to develop human potential with a competency-based approach. [adapted from author]

This study aimed to identify the human resources for health (HRH) policy concerns and research priorities of key stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries; to assess the extent to which existing HRH research addresses these concerns and priorities; and to develop a prioritized list of core research questions requiring immediate attention to facilitate policy development and implementation. [from abstract]

Studies and field observations have found that community health workers (CHWs) can provide injectables safely and that community access to injectables attracts new contraceptive users. This guide is designed to assist the many health professionals and advocates who are interested in making injectable contraceptives more widely available, especially for women with little or no access to health facilities. The guide describes six steps that advocates can take to support policy change to permit CHWs to provide injectables. [from summary]

This report provides a snapshot of the HRH policy and governance situation in the priority countries affected by severe HRH challenges. A one-page country brief has been prepared for each of the priority countries to give an update on their HRH status and progress. The briefs contain background demographic, health, health system and HRH statistics, as well as scores for responses to a tracking survey. [from author]

The aim of this policy is to promote high standards of practice in the recruitment and employment of health professionals who are not South African Citizens or permanent residents in the health sector in South Africa. It attempts to preclude the active recruitment of health professionals from developing countries without specific government agreements. [adapted from author]

Despite being workers on the front line responding to the public’s HIV and TB care needs, health workers themselves often do not have access to HIV and TB services. These guidelines aim to protect, retain and empower health workers in dealing with the dual threat of HIV and TB and reinforce good practicies for health workers who are living with HIV and/or TB. [adapted from introduction]

This policy brief describes an overview of systematic reviews of the effects of training, regulatory, financial and organizational mechanisms on the supply, distribution, efficiency and performance of health workers.

Each chapter of this report presents a proposed tool that can be used by those involved in finding and using research evidence to support evidence-informed health policymaking. [from author]

This paper proposes a conceptual framework to guide managers, policy-makers and evaluators in the assessment of interventions to increase access to health workers in underserved areas. The framework aims to support all stages of policy development. [from introduction]

The objective of this study was to model the relative effectiveness of different policy interventions on the recruitment of nurses to rural areas in three different countries. [from introduction]

To confront the common problems in the management and development of human resources for health, the ministry has created policy guidelines for HRH and is defining the competency profiles of health personnel at different levels. This document outlines the process and lessons learned. [adapted from author]

A study across three countries to identify policies which would help recruit and retain health workers in rural areas revealed that there is a danger in one size fits all recommendations when it comes to designing human resource policies. Results also show that there is room for both financial and non-financial incentives in human resource interventions in developing countries. [from author]

This report highlights how changes in the legal and regulatory environment can facilitate expanded access to family planning and reproductive health services through Africa’s private health sector. Using laws and regulations from three Africa countries - Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria - this report presents a road map on how to review the most important laws governing the private sector, as well as key issues to assess. [from introduction]

This draft policy framework is intended to provide an effective and efficient occupational workforce to support a comprehensive multidisciplinary health care service; strengthen partnerships between government, civil society and communities to consolidate, manage and focus the services offered by Community Care Workers; and delineate strategies that address systemic change within the complex systems both within the public sector and its partners. [from introduction]

This paper assesses the development of maternal health services and policies in Bangladesh by reviewing policy and strategy documents since the country's independence in 1971, with primary focus on rural areas where three-fourths of the total population of reside. [adapted from abstract]

The purpose of this toolkit, consisting of 7 booklets, is to provide nurses and midwives with tools to effectively participate in and influence health care planning and policy-making. This tool-kit has been designed for use by any nurse or midwife who has an interest in advocating for change in their work environment. [from publisher]

Recent years have seen growing awareness of the importance of human resources for health in health systems and with it an intensifying of the international and national policies in place to steer a response. This paper looks at how governments and donors in five countries: Cameroon, Indonesia, Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania, have translated such policies into action. [from abstract]

Public health systems in most developing countries do not have the capacity to provide necessary care and support to people living with HIV & AIDS. Out of necessity, many turn to family, neighbours and friends for care, the majority of whom are female. This policy brief outlines why women and girls carry the burden of HIV & AIDS care, describes the impact on them and makes policy and program recommendations to help reduce this burden. [adapted from abstract]

This paper seeks to provide nurses and nursing representatives with insights into the economic rationales for investing in health, health systems and the health workforce. It aims to support interaction and advocacy between nurses and those involved in public sector resource allocation such as governments, international agencies and private investors and health administrators. [from executive summary]