The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, will convene the 2nd Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum from May 6 to 8, 2026, in Accra. The high-level gathering is expected to bring together heads of state, ministers, global health experts, development partners, and private sector actors to address the continent’s pressing health workforce challenges.
The forum builds on the inaugural meeting held in Kigali in 2024, where African leaders adopted the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter. This year’s meeting will focus on translating those commitments into concrete actions, under the theme “Africa’s Health Workforce: From Words to Action–Plan. Train. Retain.” It comes at a time when many African countries continue to face critical shortages of health professionals, alongside challenges such as limited financing, unemployment among trained personnel, and migration of skilled workers.
Discussions in Accra will center on improving workforce planning, expanding and modernizing training systems, and strengthening retention strategies to ensure that health professionals remain within their home countries. Participants are also expected to explore innovative approaches to workforce development and share best practices that can be scaled across the continent.
The forum aims to mobilize new political, financial, and technical commitments while reinforcing accountability among governments and partners. It will also provide a platform for showcasing successful models and fostering stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors in health.
By the end of the three-day event, participants are expected to outline a clear roadmap to accelerate investment in Africa’s health workforce. The outcome is anticipated to play a key role in supporting countries’ efforts to achieve universal health coverage and build more resilient health systems capable of responding to future public health challenges.
