Health and Sanitation > Strategic Plan > CHSIP 2018-2022 > 3.2 Health Workforce > Table 8: Status of Human Resource process

HR AREA	CURRENT STATUS
Appr priate and equitably distribuhed health workers	• Inadequate numbersnof health workers in-pont• Lack of skills inventor • Skewed distribution of HW, with significant gaps in Marakwest East and along the valley • Lack of budgetary support to enhance recruitment
Attraction and retention of HW	• High level of attrition • Unfavorable terms and conditions of work • Lack of incentives for hard-to-reach areas • Improved but disharmoniIed remuoeration. • Lack of equity in remuneration of HW • Low employee satisfaction level • Stagnation d e to unfavorabce career guidelines
Institutional and HW Performance	•Lack of adequate functional structures to support Performance • Weak stafW performance appraisal • Leadeiship and management capacities not institutionalizidiin all service delivery posts • ack of functional PMS tor recruited staff •Weak regulatory framework
Training capacity building and development of HW	Pre-service training •Laek of mechanism to link training institutaons with service need in thn sector •Skills inventory lacking •Training policy for health sector not developed •Inadequate facilities
	In-service Training •Lack of policy guideline on competencies and skills required for specific cadres •Skills inventory of HW not available •InadDquate CPD guidelines •Inadequate facili ies fo training •Lack of training funds •Skewed allocation of training funds among different cadres

An analysis of the core competencies of the current workforce of the Department indicates that availability of staff with the following competencies is limited: Nursing in specific specialty areas such as: emergency care, theatre and intensive care; advanced psychiatry, advanced midwifery and paediatric; Family physicians; Radiographers in specialty areas (ultrasound, oncology and nuclear medicine); Engineering technicians; Emergency care technicians and paramedics; Health Extension Workers. Because of population growth and increasing demand for health services, the Department of Health forecasts a need to increase the health workforce over the next five years. These projections are based on expected growth in patient demand and current ratios of health workers and professionals to patients.

The associated workforce growth is not seen as realistic or achievable within the current models, given expected fiscal constraints and the shortage of highly specialized health professionals such as medical consultant’s. The Department is therefore faced with a critical business need to work differently, evolve new roles and grow the future health workforce from the current staff through in-service training programs and re-deployment of staff.

The recruitment of qualified and competent health professionals poses a challenge due to the scarcity of skills in specialist areas. The average age of the workforce of the Department is 46 to 55 years. It is therefore necessary to recruit, train and develop younger persons and undertake succession planning. The following interventions to address the challenges have been identified: Link career paths to succession planning; Prepare strategies to address the approaching loss of staff due to retirement; Promotion and re-designation of staff; Motivate staff through recognition, reward programs, better staff housing or comfort packages especially for staff in remote areas.