The health workforce is the backbone of resilient health systems, universal health coverage (UHC) and health security in Africa. Over the past decade, countries in the WHO African Region have made significant progress in expanding their workforce, strengthening governance frameworks and improving data systems. However, these gains are unfolding within a context of rapid population growth, epidemiological transition, fiscal constraints and intensifying global competition for health workers.

The 2026 report on the State of the Health Workforce in Africa builds on earlier regional analyses while introducing a stronger health labour market (HLM) and investment perspective. It is the first report on the workforce to be published following the adoption of the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, and its purpose is to support the monitoring of workforce financing and policy commitments in the Charter. In the report, the health workforce is positioned not merely as a sectoral input, but also as a central driver of health system performance, economic development and social transformation across the African Region.