Vital

News & commentary about the global health workforce

Three Steps NGO Leaders Can Take toward a Future of Inclusive, Locally Led Development

Lessons in localization with global health CEOs Maqsoda Maqsodi and Pape Gaye.

By Grace Alone

Transitioning “fistula work” is not easy. Treating obstetric fistula is a service by grace alone, especially if you’re a government worker.

Uganda’s Electronic Databases: From Guesswork to Real Data Management

I used to work at the Registrar of the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council where I was the custodian of all information pertaining to the Ugandan nursing cadre. I often felt humbled when people, including those from high-ranking organizations, would come to me seeking data.

Computerized Shortlisting Saves Time and Money, Gets Health Workers Where They Are Needed

The Uganda Capacity Program began collaborating to come up with a better way to quickly recruit, process, and hire qualified health workers.

Pfizer Fellow Reflects on Health Huts, Emailing, and Other Lessons Learned in Senegal

When I first came to Senegal, I did not know at all what to expect. I knew it would be a life-changing experience.

The ‘Fatal Flow’ of Health Worker Migration

More than a year after its devastating earthquake, Haiti is still struggling to recover and rebuild its health system.

Agaïcha's Story

On the sixth day, my uncle took me from the village to the nearest health center, 65 km away. Once we got there, an unskilled health provider pulled the baby out by force. My son was dead. The following day, my torment started: I could not control my bladder anymore.”

A Shout Out to 29 Amazing Zambian Women and 1 Man Caring for Their Community

I met an amazing group of people in Zambia: the Chishilano Home-Based Care Group at the Shelazi Centre. They are a group of about 30 volunteers, who care for people in their community living with HIV/AIDS.

The Possibilities of Video Games and Digital Living for Future Health Workers' Lives

What if video games could be used to help solve the health care worker shortage in Africa? Playing games can help people learn knowledge and skills.

Without the User, There Is No System: Harnessing Technology through the eHealth Workforce

When we talk about building strong health systems and the health workers needed to run these systems, we often think about doctors or nurses or community health workers. Just as crucial to health...

An Imperative to Act: Family Planning in West Africa

Earlier this month, I was in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso with delegates from eight French-speaking West African countries* for the conference, “Family Planning in the context of Population and Development: the Urgency to Act.”