Human resources for maternal, newborn and child health: from measurement and planning to performance for improved health outcomes

We collected and analysed cross-nationally comparable data on HRH availability, distribution, roles and functions from new and existing sources, and information from country reviews of HRH interventions that are associated with positive impacts on health services delivery and population health outcomes.Findings from 68 countries demonstrate availability of doctors, nurses and midwives is positively correlated with coverage of skilled birth attendance. Most (78%) of the target countries face acute shortages of highly skilled health personnel, and large variations persist within and across countries in workforce distribution, skills mix and skills utilization. Too few countries appropriately plan for, authorize and support nurses, midwives and community health workers to deliver essential maternal, newborn and child health-care interventions that could save lives.Despite certain limitations of the data and findings, we identify some key areas where governments, international partners and other stakeholders can target efforts to ensure a sufficient, equitably distributed and efficiently utilized health workforce to achieve MDGs 4 and 5.In June 2010, leaders of the G8 nations announced a comprehensive and integrated approach to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 for maternal and child health (known as the Muskoka Declaration) [1]. The initiative aimed to support strengthening of national health systems in developing countries, in order to enable accelerated delivery of key interventions for improved maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes along the continuum of care. The Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health, launched at the United Nations MDG Summit on 22 September 2010, provided a significant opportunity to broaden these commitments [2]. With only four years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the MDGs, this year presents a critical opportunity for action to increase investment and support to countrie