The World Health Organisation Warns of Looming Healthcare Crisis as Nursing Workforce Faces Critical Challenges
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a stark warning about the future of global healthcare, highlighting the critical role that nurses play in achieving the United Nations’ Agenda for Sustainable Development. In its 2025 edition of the State of the world’s nursing report, the WHO emphasises that an adequate, equitably distributed, and fully supported health workforce is central to making progress towards health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to the WHO, nurses are the largest occupational group and represent an indispensable force in combating inequities in access to health services. The report provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the nursing workforce, featuring new indicators on critical areas such as education capacity, advanced practice nursing, and remuneration. As the WHO notes, "Nurses are at the forefront of healthcare delivery, and their role is crucial in advancing gender equality through the strengthening and empowerment of a highly feminized profession."
The report outlines 12 policy priorities from the Global strategic directions for nursing and midwifery 2021–2025, as well as five additional policy priorities and a compilation of data from each WHO region. Country profiles reflect each country’s national data and are available for download from the WHO National Health Workforce Accounts data portal. The report’s findings are clear: with five years left of the SDG era and rising geopolitical tensions, economic retrenchment, and concurrent protracted crises, the world is at a strategic juncture.
The WHO warns that if current trends continue, progress on universal health coverage will stagnate, and the shortage of health workers will persist. However, the report also presents an opportunity for country-level investments and actions to support nurses in providing essential life-saving services in stronger health systems. As the WHO states, "We can continue down the path of stagnated progress on universal health coverage and slower progress in reducing the health worker shortage. Or we can seize the opportunity this report presents to drive country-level investments and actions in support of nurses."
The WHO is calling on policymakers, nursing associations, regulators, development partners, and other stakeholders to utilise this report for policy dialogue and decision-making on how and where to strengthen nursing to achieve universal health coverage and the other health-related SDGs. The organisation emphasises that the next five years are a critical window of opportunity to address these challenges and ensure that the world has a robust and supported nursing workforce.
The State of the world’s nursing report is a critical tool for anyone involved in healthcare policy and decision-making. As the WHO notes, "These next 5 years are our final opportunity to do so." The report’s findings and recommendations are based on the most up-to-date data and analysis, and it is essential that policymakers and stakeholders take heed of its warnings and recommendations. The WHO’s message is clear: the future of global healthcare depends on the ability to support and strengthen the nursing workforce.
In conclusion, the WHO’s State of the world’s nursing report highlights the critical challenges facing the nursing workforce and the need for urgent action to address these challenges. As the report notes, "We call on policy-makers in countries, nursing associations, regulators, development partners, partner organizations and other stakeholders to utilise this report for policy dialogue and decision-making on how and where to strengthen nursing to achieve universal health coverage and the other health-related SDGs." The WHO’s warning is clear: the future of global healthcare depends on the ability to support and strengthen the nursing workforce.
Source: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240110236
