Improving the Health Workforce Distribution in Remote and Rural Areas of Ethiopia: An Evidence-Based Policy Brief

Abstract

Human Resources for Health (HRH) constitute the most vital component of health systems. However, the HRH picture of Ethiopia has remained critically low and characterized by geographic mal-distribution. This brief aimed to show the major causes for poor health workforce distribution and to suggest possible policy options. We reviewed relevant evidence describing the problem and feasible options to address the problem, the barriers to implement those options, and implementation strategies to address these barriers. We searched electronic databases of systematic reviews and supplemented with local evidences. In our review, we found different options that help to improve health workforce distribution in the remote and rural areas of the country. Systematic reviews on impact of task shifting, clinical rotations in rural areas during studies and financial incentives have shown favourable results that may lead to increase the number of health workforce working in rural and underserved areas. But none of the studies assessed the costs and cost effectiveness of the suggested options. Therefore, given the limitations of the currently available evidence, there is a need for rigorous evaluative research on the cost effectiveness of each option prior to widespread implementation.

Organizational Commitment and Associated Factors Among Health Professionals Working in Public Health Facilities of Benchsheko Zone Southwest Ethiopia

“…Availability of Health Work Forces (HWF) in; adequate number, skill-mix, distribution, motivation, competence and quality are among the important factors for effective and e cient health service delivery. Unfortunately, nations at all levels of socioeconomic status wherever in the world face challenges in HWF in different extent in terms of their production, deployment, retention and proper utilization (4,5). Organizational commitment is linked with both positive and negative consequences for health sectors.…”

Choice of Future Location of Surgical Practice: A Survey of Surgical Trainees in Nigeria and Implications for Timely Access to Surgical Care

“…Poor motivation and retention schemes, individual factors, organizational environment, high workload, poor living and working conditions, low salaries, lack of professional growth and recognition, and lack of incentives are factors known to mitigate against rural medical practice [4, 6, 7].…”

“…Although the exact surgeon to population density in Nigeria is not known, as in many regions of the world, there is inequity and maldistribution of the surgical workforce skewed towards urban and wealthier areas creating an ongoing surgical workforce emergency worsened by an ongoing brain drain among healthcare professionals [3, 4]. Most specialists practice in second‐ and third‐level hospitals often located in urban or semi‐urban areas, leaving large swathes of the mostly rural parts of the country without trained surgeons.…”

Work engagement among health professionals in public health facilities of Bench-Sheko zone, southwest Ethiopia

“…Human resource is essential for the success of any type of organization [ 1 ] and one of the most vital building blocks for a health system [ 2 ]. Availability of health workforce (HWF) in adequate numbers, skill mix, distribution, motivation, competence, and quality is very important for effective and equitable health service delivery, but all nations anywhere in the world face challenges on HWF in terms of their production, deployment, retention, and proper utilization [ 3 , 4 ]. About 40% of health professionals (doctors, nurses, and midwives) would resign from their employment because of dissatisfaction with their work [ 5 ].…”