United Nations Supports Pakistan's Health Workforce Reform for Economic Growth
Pakistan has launched a new health workforce program supported by the United Nations, aiming to reform healthcare by focusing on the quality, protection, and skills of health workers. This initiative marks a strategic shift from merely expanding hospitals or increasing healthcare spending to treating healthcare professionals as strategic human capital. The program's first phase will support 20,000 health and care workers between July 2026 and July 2027, with plans to expand to 80,000 workers in the second phase. The initiative integrates workforce development with decent employment, occupational safety, gender equality, and social protection, aligning health policy with broader economic and labor market reforms. This approach is expected to strengthen healthcare delivery while contributing to employment generation, institutional reform, and long-term economic resilience.