E-DRUG: Tools to assess Pharmaceutical Human Resources situation in countries.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The pharmaceutical workforce plays a vital role in the implementation
of medicines policies in countries. However, the effectiveness of the
workforce within the health system has been hindered by insufficient
numbers and the skill mix necessary to respond to target population
needs in countries - especially as donor-funded programmes, such as
those related to HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, expand in the developing
world. Pharmaceutical human resources challenges have to be addressed
in order to improve the availability and rational use of medicines, and
hence ensure positive health outcomes. The development, production,
distribution and appropriate use of medicines, as well as the supportive
functions of regulation, research and training are essential to a strong
health system. All of these activities require the participation of
competent pharmaceutical personnel.
In line with the WHO Medicines Strategy 2008-2013 which recognize the
importance of pharmaceutical human resource development and the need to
enhance workforce capacity for sound medicines policies, the WHO
Department of Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies in
collaboration with the department of Human Resources for Health has
developed a set of tools to assess countries' pharmaceutical workforce
availability, distribution, development, attrition trends etc. and job
satisfaction .
Information collected using the tools is analysed and the results form
the basis of a consultation on a framework for pharmaceutical human
resources development.
This framework will form the basis for the development of pharmaceutical
human resources plan that should be integrated into national human
resources plan for health.
The tools have been successfully used in Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan and
Tanzania.
We now have the tools published at the WHO/EMP website and can be
accessed through the link below:
http://www.who.int/medicines/areas/coordination/hrp_tool.pdf
For more information, please contact Gilles Forte (forteg@who.int) and
Helen Tata (tatah@who.int) at WHO/EMP/MPC
Mrs Helen Lega Tata
Medicines Programme Coordination
Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies Department
Health Systems and Services
Tel. direct: +41 22 791 2660
Fax direct: +41 22 791 4167
E-mail: tatah@who.int
Website: http://who.int/medicines