Human capacity building for global public health: Role of public-private partnerships

The World Health Report 2006 affirms that the health workforce is the backbone of the public health system and is central to its effective functioning.  Health outcomes, including Millennium Development Goals, are better realized with a well trained workforce.  Tackling emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, managing chronic diseases, preventing and reducing the impact of violence and injuries, using technology effectively, and efficiently meeting increasing consumer needs and expectations all call for a well trained, multi-disciplinary workforce.  However, several challenges such as shortage of public health workers, their spatial misdistribution (within and between countries), skill mix imbalances, lack of or inadequate production capacity, migration of skilled personnel, and the costs of training and updating the workforce will severely strain the health budgets of several nations.  Public-private partnerships (PPP) provide a timely opportunity to help resolve this situation to various extents.  This presentation will focus on two areas: 1. PPP in developing professional public health workforce and 2. PPP in developing lay public health workforce.  The second area is of particular relevance in the spirit of 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration in developing and sustaining community-based primary health care services. Elements to be considered in developing PPP, strategies for effective PPP, and expected outcomes will be discussed.  The presentation will identify the purpose and role of World Health Organization’s Global Health Workforce Alliance as well as the catalytic role of academic institutions in enhancing global public health workforce development.