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Table 2 Estimated and projected global need of health workers, by World Bank income group and WHO region, 2013 and 2030

From: Forecasting imbalances in the global health labor market and devising policy responses

 

Health worker need

2013

2030

% Change

World Bank Income Group (# of countries)

 Low (29)

4 861 904

7 049 048

45%

 Lower-middle (44)

17 605 293

21 940 256

25%

 Upper-middle (46)

14 617 189

15 934 777

9%

 High (46)

7 644 247

8 058 211

5%

WHO Region (# of countries)

 Africa (43)

5 891 071

8 910 473

51%

 Americas (28)

5 439 623

6 246 463

15%

 Eastern Mediterranean (15)

3 797 769

5 055 625

33%

 Europe (50)

5 628 533

5 786 268

3%

 South-East Asia (8)

12 433 083

14 712 987

18%

 Western Pacific (21)

11 538 553

12 270 476

6%

World (165)

44 728 633

52 982 292

18%

  1. Source: [1]
  2. Note: The World need numbers reported here are roughly 4% below the World need numbers reported in the above reference. The above reference computes need across 210 counties, as opposed to the 165 countries analyzed for this table. Health worker refers to physicians, nurses/midwives, and other health workers