Key Takeaways
- Pakistan, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Health Organization (WHO), has launched an initiative to support 20,000 health workers.
- The project aims to enhance skills development, decent employment, occupational safety, gender equality, and social protection for health workers.
- The first phase of the project will run from July 2026 to July 2027.
Pakistan has launched a significant initiative aimed at supporting 20,000 health and care workers through investments in skills development, decent employment, occupational safety and health, gender equality, and expanded social protection. The project is a collaborative effort between Pakistan, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The initiative was launched on Thursday with the first phase set to run from July 2026 to July 2027. This initial period is designed to lay the groundwork for an expanded second phase, which aims to support an additional 80,000 health workers.
Supported by the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund and led by the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, the project aligns with Pakistan's broader development agenda. The programme is titled 'Advancing Decent Work and Just Transitions in Pakistan through Health Sector Skills Development and Social Protection.'
The launch was followed by an inaugural meeting of its Joint Programme Steering Committee, chaired by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD) and the UNRCO. The committee endorsed the programme’s governance arrangements and first-year implementation plan, reaffirming strong national leadership and coordinated implementation across government institutions and development partners.
Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Secretary of MOPHRD, stated that the government is committed to placing jobs and social protection at the centre of its development agenda. Additional Secretary Health Laeeq Ahmed highlighted the programme's potential in strengthening health services as Pakistan advances reforms in nursing and allied health education.
Afke Bootsman, Head of the UNRCO’s Office, emphasized the importance of coordinated investments through the Global Accelerator to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She noted that the health workforce is essential for effective health systems, economic growth, and social progress. Geir Tonstol, Country Director of the ILO in Pakistan, echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for skills development, stronger labour market institutions, safer working conditions, formalized employment, and expanded social protection.
Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Pakistan, underscored the importance of a science-driven approach to strengthen health workforce and systems. He stated that the initiative will support more health workers accessing decent jobs and better opportunities. Representatives from the World Bank and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed their commitment to working with the government and UN agencies to strengthen Pakistan's health workforce.
The project is expected to contribute significantly to Pakistan’s implementation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions. It aims to build more resilient labour markets and improve health services, thereby enhancing overall public health outcomes in the country.
We encourage development partners to use the Global Accelerator as a common platform for coordinated investments that accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Afke Bootsman, Head of the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office
Health systems are only as strong as the people who work to make them possible. The WHO remains firmly committed to supporting Pakistan and partners in strengthening its health workforce and health systems at every level – guided by science – to build a healthier and stronger Pakistan for everyone, regardless of social or economic status, no matter where they live or who they are.
Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Pakistan
