A universal truth: Are we heading for no health care?

Abstract

It is a universal truth that there will be no health care if there are not enough human resources in the healthcare sector, as the title of the World Health Organization (WHO) report of the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health states: “A Universal Truth: No Health Without a Workforce”.¹ It effectively summarises the global and South African challenge related to human resources in health. While the WHO does not regard South Africa as one of the countries with exceptionally low staffing ratios, most of us are aware that we do not have enough nurses to ensure safe and quality health care. The shortage does not only apply to the public sector, but also to the private sector healthcare services.