Global Health Workforce Programme
The Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP), funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), aims to develop the health workforce in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and the UK, building stronger health systems for post-pandemic recovery and to make progress towards universal health coverage.
Programme Overview
The Programme
The Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP), funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), aims to develop the health workforce in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and the UK, building stronger health systems for post-pandemic recovery and to make progress towards universal health coverage.
Under the GHWP, Global Health Partnerships (GHP – formerly THET) is supporting Health Partnerships formed between health institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and the UK to deliver projects which enhance the skills, training, capacity and retention of the health workforce in each country respectively.
To ensure the compatibility, sustainability and scalability of these projects with existing health systems and policies, GHP is working in collaboration with national and sub-national governments to align interventions with national health priorities and to integrate and embed good health workforce practices, innovations and new technologies into existing health systems. Fostering ownership and accountability among local stakeholders will enhance the sustainability of these initiatives and ensure the impact of the projects continue beyond the GHWP.
Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion
The GHWP has a distinct focus on Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), supporting partnerships that promote gender equality and equity through targeted interventions, such as leadership capacity development initiatives and mentorship aimed at the female workforce/nursing and midwifery cadres, and integrating GESI components into training curriculums. All Health Partnerships receive GESI training from GHP and are encouraged to consider how their project contributes towards upholding principles of Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion, in line with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Strategic Vision for Gender Equality, which recognises that “we all need to take action, in everything we do, if gender equality is to become a lasting reality”.[1] Read more on GHP’s approach to GESI here.
GHWP Outputs
The Health Partnerships working under the Global Health Workforce Programme are contributing towards health system strengthening by undertaking projects which look to:
- Improve the number and quality of training opportunities for health workers
- Improve leadership of the health workforce, including improved policies and regulation
- Improve retention and wellbeing of the health workforce and contribute towards retention and wellbeing strategies
- Co-develop and document learnings on successful health workforce interventions, sharing findings with relevant policy makers and practitioners
Health Partnerships are consistently encouraged and supported to consider the sustainability of health projects and alignment with national priorities and plans, to encourage local ownership of interventions and to ensure the impact is sustained after the programme closes.
Grant Management
As the fund manager, GHP has awarded grants to Health Partnerships between the UK, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria:
- 19 Large grants of between £100,000 to £350,000 that feed into the country scoping priorities and programme outputs;
- 22 Small grants up to £50,000 for projects that tackle specific areas such as innovation, rural health facilities, leadership opportunities for women and protected groups, and the climate crisis.
These grants will run from 1st February 2024 until 31st January 2025.
Health Workforce and Health Systems Strengthening
The WHO estimates a projected shortfall of 10 million health workers by 2030 – a shortage that will disproportionately affect low- and lower-middle income countries (LMICs). Health workers are at the centre of every health system and without them, people go without vital health care, exacerbating health inequities and negatively impacting health outcomes.
With access to quality healthcare already a significant challenge across the globe, strengthening the health workforce has never been more urgent. The chronic under-investment in the education and training of health workers in some countries, and the mismatch between education and employment strategies in relation to health systems and population needs, are contributing to continuous shortages. These factors are compounded by difficulties in attracting health workers to rural, remote and underserved areas. Additionally, the increasing out-migration of health workers may exacerbate health workforce shortfalls, particularly in low- and lower-middle income countries.
Improving health service coverage and realising the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health for all is dependent on the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of the health workforce. The Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) aims to address these gaps in health workforce and health systems strengthening, working in partnership with UK and LMIC organisations and institutions to build, optimise, and strengthen their health workforce to aid post-pandemic recovery and to advance progress on Universal Health Coverage, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3: ‘ To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’.
GHP’s approach to health systems strengthening is rooted in our Health Partnership model, which promotes strategic collaboration between global partners to deliver change projects in global health. Health partnerships pool their knowledge, expertise, skills, and resources to deliver meaningful change in global health systems. Our principles of Partnership underline the importance of respectful, reciprocal and strategic collaboration, with a focus on ensuring alignment with local and national plans to ensure each and every one of our projects is effective in tackling national HWF and health systems priorities and are sustainable beyond the lifetime of the programme. GHP’s Health Partnership approach prioritises interventions that are effective, appropriate and sustainable, addressing and targeting the gaps in human resources for health in alignment with identified national health systems and health workforce priorities, to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to quality health services. To learn more about our approach, explore our Principles of Partnership which underpin our approach to Health Systems Strengthening.
There is no health without health workers!
GHWP Extension
GHP is delighted that the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) is extending into three new countries in 2025: Ethiopia, Malawi and Somaliland. The launch of the GHWP in these three countries will support Health Partnerships at national and regional levels to address nationally and locally identified health workforce priorities, helping them to build robust health systems capable of addressing the diverse health needs of their populations to ensure optimal health outcomes for all individuals.
This is a closed call for Health Partnerships between the UK, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Somaliland that are interested in addressing priority areas identified through GHP’s scoping assessments. Global South- Global South partnerships between Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia, Malawi and Somaliland, will also be considered. GHP will be contacting Health Partnerships directly to apply. These grants will run from 1st April 2025 until 31st January 2026.
Meet the GHWP grantees!
For the full list of the awarded partnerships, please click here!
Read more on the Global Health Workforce Programme
