Human resources for universal health coverage: a call for papers.

Editorials 84 An adequate, performing health workforce is vital for improving health service coverage and health outcomes. 1 Yet the availability, distribution, capacity and performance of human resources for health (HRH) varies widely and many countries have fewer health workers than needed for high coverage of essential health services, according to the World health report 2006. 2 Signs of progress are emerging, though; several countries are successfully addressing their problems in the area of HRH, resulting in improvements in health outcomes. 3 These gains are, however, vulnerable: shortages of and inequitable access to health workers still thwart many coun-tries' attempts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and their efforts to scale up their response against noncommunicable diseases and attain universal health coverage. Universal Health Care (UHC) was defined by the World Health organization in 2005. 4 Since then it has gained increased recognition as a framework for embracing various global health priorities. New evidence, policy options and advocacy 5 in support of the progressive achievement of UHC have been the focus of the World health report: health systems financing 6 and of numerous global health events. In 2011 the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution on UHC, 9 and in 2012 a United Nations General Assembly resolution bolstered political momentum in support of UHC and underscored the need for an " adequate, skilled, well-trained and motivated workforce ". 10 In this context ensuring that appropriate HRH strategies and priorities are embedded in the UHC and post-MDG agenda becomes crucial. As health systems progressively broaden their scope to cover noncom-municable diseases and other priorities, health workers will face new demands for more comprehensive and equitable service delivery. The challenge lies in addressing past and present gaps while simultaneously anticipating future actions to strengthen the health workforce as an integral part of health systems. The HRH needs demand renewed attention, strategic intelligence and action. Gaps in health worker distribution, competency, quality, motivation and performance need to be addressed in addition to sheer numbers. Fundamental changes in the way in which health workers are trained, managed, regulated and supported and in the role of the public sector in shaping labour market forces will be necessary. Against this background, the Bulletin will publish a theme issue on HRH and universal health coverage to provide an opportunity to identify the changes in HRH investment, production, deployment and retention required to achieve UHC. Its publication …