The Acting World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, has raised a concern that more than 80 percent of nurses serve only 49 percent of global population.
He said this in a good will message to commemorate the International Nurses Day 2025 with the theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future: Caring for Nurses Strengthens Health Systems and Economies.”
He saluted “the commitment, compassion and courage of nurses across Africa and the world. Representing nearly 70% of the health workforce, nurses are the foundation of our health systems – essential every day, and indispensable in times of crisis.”
The WHO’s Regional Director maintained that supporting nurses was key to building resilient, equitable and thriving health systems.
“The State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025 offers a clear and urgent call to action,” he said adding, “While the global nursing workforce has grown to 29.8 million, up from about 28 million in 2018, this progress conceals dangerous inequities.”
Dr. Ihekweazu, however, noted that recent investments in nursing education and training in Africa were yielding results.
He broke down the data saying, “the number of nurses has nearly doubled from 900 000 in 2018 to 1.7 million in 2023, increasing the nurse-to-population ratio from 8.7 to 14.1 per 1000 000 people.
“Yet this remains one of the lowest ratios globally, and more than tenfold lower than in high-income countries.”
He further explained that, “Nurses account for 66% of the region’s projected shortfall of 6.1 million health workers by 2030.
“This shortage limits access to essential services, from maternal and child health to chronic disease care, and slows progress towards universal health coverage.
“At the same time, while 43% of our nursing workforce is under the age of 35, many lack access to mentorship or clear career pathways.
“High-income countries continue to recruit nurses from lower-income settings, with foreign-born nurses comprising nearly a quarter of their nursing workforce.
“In our region, 42% of nurses also report an intention to emigrate, an alarming trend that risks draining critical talent and undermining our most fragile systems.
“Constrained budgets add a further layer of complexity. On average, African countries face a 43% shortfall in health workforce financing. As a result, nearly one in three health workers, mostly nurses and midwives, is unemployed or underemployed.”
Expressing optimism, the Regional Director disclosed that in in May 2024, African leaders endorsed the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, which set long term progress agenda.
“Several countries are now generating data, building consensus through national dialogues, and developing Investment Compacts that align with their specific needs.
“Zimbabwe’s new Investment Compact, for example, is expected to mobilize an additional US$166 million annually over the next three years to strengthen its health workforce,” he said.
He urged converted effort as more action was needed on the 2025 report recommendations to expand nursing education, including digital and clinical training; strengthen regulation and introduce advanced practice roles.
Others are on how to improve working conditions, including mental health support and fair pay; close the gender pay gap: still at 7%, despite women comprising 85% of nurses and; invest in nursing leadership, including empowered Government Chief Nursing Officers.
He opined that nurses are more than caregivers saying, “They are educators, innovators and frontline responders, often working in the most remote, under-resourced or crisis-affected areas.”
