Webinar Recording: Skilling Asia's Healthcare Workforce

Almost all countries in Asia and the Pacific, irrespective of their level of development, have embraced the goal of working towards Universal Health Coverage, promoting better health services and healthier living. Providing quality health and care requires investments in infrastructure, technology, medical goods, system reform, and human resources. Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will require investments in job creation, and across the social sectors. Building knowledge, commitment, and identifying innovative opportunities is an important step. Supporting ADB developing member countries (DMCs) to address challenges and opportunities across the health and care sectors will not only assist countries to meet health and social goals but also provide employment and growth in fast-growing industries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has starkly highlighted the importance of a sufficient and well-trained workforce. The health and workforce have been at the frontline for the past 18 months and with this has come obvious stressors and strains on them but also necessitated innovation and flexibility in skilling up the health workforce. The uncertainty of the duration of the pandemic has also highlighted the need for sustained production of “new” entrants to the health workforce, equipped with relevant skills and knowledge, whilst at the same time, the education of health professionals has often been disrupted, due to students being asked to be part of the “surge” front line workforce, and because of lockdowns and travel constraints.