Healthcare Access in Americas Threatened by Worker Shortages

A new report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) highlights significant shortages in healthcare workers across the Americas, with 14 out of 39 countries lacking enough doctors, nurses, and midwives to meet the needs of their populations. PAHO warns that, without intervention, the region could face a shortfall of between 600,000 and 2 million healthcare workers by 2030, threatening universal health coverage.

"Healthcare workers are the backbone of our health systems; without them, we cannot talk about access or universal coverage," says Jarbas Barbosa, Director, PAHO. He emphasized that the report’s data should guide investments in training, retention, and better working conditions to ensure healthcare reaches all individuals.

Although the Americas have an average of 66.57 healthcare workers per 10,000 people, exceeding the World Health Organization’s target of 44.5, significant disparities remain. Countries like Haiti and Honduras face severe shortages, while Cuba and the United States have healthcare worker densities far above the target. Mexico is above the 44.5 average but below 60 healthcare workers per 10,000 people target. Factors such as aging workforces, migration, and uneven distribution of workers worsen the situation, reports PAHO.

The report focuses on eight key healthcare occupations: medicine, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, and community health workers. Nursing is the most data-rich occupation, with 89.78% of nurses being female.  In Mexico, for example, results of the National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE) show that Mexico had 620,000 people working in paid nursing services, with women making up 79% and men 21% of the workforce.

In medicine, the workforce is predominantly male, but a growing trend of feminization is seen in one-third of countries. In Mexico, although women have a strong presence in the healthcare sector, structural inequalities persist across most occupations, particularly in terms of wages and opportunities for professional advancement, according to IMCO.

The aging workforce is another concern. In the United States and Guatemala, nearly half of doctors are over 55, highlighting the need to train future generations of doctors.

PAHO recommends enhancing healthcare workforce information systems to track and plan for future needs, increasing training in midwifery and psychology, and implementing policies to retain workers. The report stresses that without strategic investments in education, regulations, and workforce distribution, achieving universal and equitable healthcare will be impossible.

"The challenge is not just having more healthcare professionals but ensuring they are where they are needed and prepared to meet the population’s demands," says Barbosa