One Year Anniversary of the Global Health Worker Initiative

Credit: THOHUN/OHW-NG

One year ago, the White House launched the Global Health Worker Initiative (GHWI), recognizing that a health workforce that is supported, equipped and protected to provide essential public health functions is integral to reclaiming lost ground from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for future health threats. This initiative aims to meet an urgent need: the World Health Organization expects a global shortfall of 10 million health workers by 2030, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. Through the GHWI we are better aligning investments in health workers across the U.S. Government, building stronger partnerships on health workforce with bilateral partners, multilateral institutions, including the World Health Organization, and other philanthropic partners, and reorienting our global health programs toward cohesive efforts that build stronger and more resilient health systems.

The United States is providing approximately $10 billion in global health program funding with Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 funds. U.S. Government programs such as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and U.S. bilateral global health security partnerships in support of the Global Health Security Agenda, contribute more than $1.6 billion annually to support the health workforce across the globe. Building on those ongoing investments, the President’s FY 2024 Budget requests increased investments across health programs to strengthen health systems and the global health workforce, including $20 million in new resources to directly support the Global Health Worker Initiative.