Malawi Advances Toward UHC with Health Labour Market Analysis Supported by WHO

Malawi’s progress toward UHC by 2030 depends on ensuring that sufficient human resources exist across all levels of care to meet population health needs efficiently and equitably.

Malawi is taking a decisive step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), health security, and Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3), as the Ministry of Health—supported by the World Health Organization (WHO)—moves toward finalizing a comprehensive national Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA). The initiative is expected to shape future multisectoral policies, improve workforce planning, and strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery nationwide.

A well-trained, adequately staffed, and motivated health workforce remains a cornerstone of resilient health systems. Malawi’s progress toward UHC by 2030 depends on ensuring that sufficient human resources exist across all levels of care to meet population health needs efficiently and equitably.

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Formalizing Evidence for Long-Term Health Workforce Investment

The HLMA applies a structured economic and epidemiological approach to assess mismatches between health worker supply, demand, and service delivery needs. It also evaluates the feasibility of policy actions based on fiscal space and labour market realities.

Once finalized and standardized with other WHO-supported countries, the analysis will inform high-level policy dialogue among ministries—including health, finance, education, and labour—to address current shortages and optimize the national health workforce distribution.

“The Health Labour Market Analysis will give Malawi a credible evidence base to better understand our workforce dynamics and plan more effectively,” said Mr. Duff Msukwa, Director of Human Resources for Health. “This work will guide sustainable workforce reforms aligned to the Health Sector Strategic Plan III.”

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Progress Achieved—but Gaps Remain

The Ministry highlighted notable advances in workforce development. Between 2019 and 2024, Malawi increased its health workforce from 34,287 to 47,555—a 38.7% increase. Investments included training expansion, strengthened human resource information systems, and improved recruitment pipelines.

However, significant staffing gaps continue to affect the delivery of essential services:

Health Cadre	Current Vacancy Rate
Nurse/Midwife Technicians	40%
Medical Officers/Specialists	32%
Medical Assistants	25%

These shortages are most pronounced in rural and underserved districts, compromising equitable access to maternal, emergency, and frontline care.

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A Multisectoral and Data-Driven Approach

With funding from the UK Department of Health and Social Care, WHO AFRO trained a national multisectoral team using the AFRO HLMA Support Tool. Participants—including representatives from regulatory bodies, training institutions, civil society, and health professionals across 72 occupations—worked to extract and analyse workforce data from 10–21 November 2025.

The resulting draft includes:

• Epidemiology-based workforce requirements

• Service delivery projections

• Fiscal feasibility analysis

• Policy scenarios for workforce production, retention, and deployment

The HLMA findings will guide national consultations to shape long-term strategies for recruitment, training, regulation, and equitable deployment.

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A Foundation for a Stronger, More Resilient Health System

“WHO is proud to support this process,” said Dr. Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, WHO Representative to Malawi. “The HLMA will help Malawi build a sustainable, motivated workforce capable of ensuring health security and advancing Universal Health Coverage.”

The Ministry emphasized that aligning planning with reliable data will help Malawi respond not only to ongoing health service needs but also to emergency health challenges, including pandemics and climate-sensitive diseases.

As Malawi approaches the midpoint of the SDG timeline, the HLMA marks a transformational milestone in building a resilient, people-centred, and equitable health system capable of delivering high-quality care to all citizens.