Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112060

Owen Smith, MPA¹, Sara Bennett, PhD², and Kate Stillman, MPA². (1) Abt Associates Inc., 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-347-5388, Owen_Smith@abtassoc.com, (2) Partners for Health Reform plus Project, Abt Associates, 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814

Issue: As the international community commits increased financial resources to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other global health priorities, greater attention is being focused on potential non-financial obstacles to scaling up. One of the most important of these is human resources. Description: This study evaluates the impact of one such mechanism for scaling up, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, on human resources. It focuses on the impact of the Global Fund on the total number of health workers for focal and non-focal diseases, their quality and motivation, salaries, and the harmonization of training activities with other responsibilities. The findings are based on document review, facility surveys, provider surveys and in-depth interviews with key informants, in eight countries. Lessons Learned: The results reveal an absence of planning for the human resource implications of Global Fund activities in most countries under study. In terms of implementation, there was often direct hiring of human resources at higher salaries from elsewhere in the health system, although not in large numbers. Movement of health workers between public and private sectors and from non-focal to focal diseases was also observed. The planning and implementation of Global Fund activities by managers has significantly reduced their time available for carrying out other responsibilities. Lastly, there were mixed experiences with respect to the applicability of Global Fund training programs to non-focal disease work. Recommendations: The scale-up of Global Fund activities may have both positive and negative impacts on human resources for health. Careful monitoring of interventions is important to protect against any negative impacts.

Learning Objectives:

• -Describe the main channels through which Global Fund-supported activities are likely to affect the number, distribution, retention and motivation of health workers;
• -Discuss strategies that would increase the chances of Global Fund supported activities strengthening rather than weakening human resources in low-income countries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.