The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Africa is training more health workers than ever before, yet nearly one million qualified professionals remain unemployed while millions of people still lack access to basic health services.
The warning was delivered by Mohamed Janabi at the launch of the State of the Health Workforce in Africa 2026 report in Accra, Ghana. The report was released during the 2nd Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum.
According to the report, Africa’s health workforce has more than tripled over the past decade, growing from 1.6 million in 2015 to 5.7 million in 2024. Training institutions have also expanded significantly, now numbering more than 4 000 and producing hundreds of thousands of graduates annually.
Despite this progress, Janabi said the gap between supply and demand remains stark. “Africa has only 46% of the workforce it needs,” he said, noting that the mismatch continues to leave large parts of the population without essential healthcare services.
–ChannelAfrica—
