How is the global health workforce changing? - Takeaways - MDSpire
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How is the global health workforce changing?

The global health workforce increased by 199% over 33 years, with women accounting for most of the growth, according to a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 published in The Lancet Public Health.

  • By

  • Kathryn Wighton

  • August 26, 2026

  • 3 min

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  • 1

    Researchers analyzed health worker data from 204 countries and territories, covering 1,816 country-years of survey data and other sources.

  • 2

    In 2023, there were an estimated 122 million health workers globally, including 15 million physicians and 33 million nurses.

  • 3

    Women comprised 69% of the health workforce in 2023 and accounted for 71% of workforce growth from 1990 to 2023.

  • 4

    High-income countries had the highest health worker densities, while sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest, except for community health workers.

  • 5

    The study estimated global shortages of approximately 7 million physicians and 24 million nurses and midwives needed for universal health coverage.

Original Source(s)

How is the global health workforce changing?

  • by Kathryn Wighton

  • August 26, 2026

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