The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted ageing as a hidden health workforce crisis, calling for urgent action and greater investment to strengthen health systems and meet growing healthcare needs.
A new WHO report reveals that nearly one in four doctors globally is aged over 55 and is expected to retire within the next decade, based on the latest available data from 122 countries. In high-income countries, the proportion rises to nearly one in three.
The report also estimates that 67 countries will not have enough health workers to meet population health needs by 2030.
“Ageing is the hidden health workforce crisis that requires urgent attention. It is creating a double pressure on health systems, primarily in high-income countries,” said Dr Khassoum Diallo, Acting Unit Head of Health Workforce Policies and Data, WHO Academy.
“We know that better data drives better policy, and these findings reinforce the importance of future-focused action to strengthen health workforce planning, education, employment and retention,” he added.
The report, National Health Workforce Accounts: Health Workforce Levels and Trends 2026, is the first in an annual series providing a comprehensive global overview of health workforce levels, trends and challenges. It is based on official country data reported through the National Health Workforce Accounts (NHWA).
Global health workforce grows, but disparities persist
According to the report, the density of the health workforce—including medical doctors, nursing and midwifery personnel, dentists and pharmacists—has increased by 52% globally over the past two decades, rising from 44.8 per 10,000 population in 2006 to 67.9 per 10,000 in 2025.
The global health and care workforce has now surpassed 70 million workers.
However, significant inequities persist across countries and regions. The WHO report shows that the density of medical doctors is 13 times higher in the WHO European Region than in the WHO African Region, while the density of nurses and midwifery personnel is six times higher.
The report underscores that persistent workforce shortages and unequal distribution continue to limit access to essential health services for many people.
“Despite gains in workforce production and data reporting, uneven and severe shortages of health and care workers remain, and health worker density remains strongly correlated with national income,” said Dr Diallo, noting “addressing these inequities is essential to achieving Health for All.”
Ageing adds pressure on health systems
The report examines the impact of both population ageing and health worker ageing on future workforce needs. In some countries, health worker ageing is expected to intensify existing workforce shortages. The global health workforce shortage is projected to reach 11.1 million workers by 2030.
At the same time, ageing populations are expected to increase demand for health and care services, placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems.
“Investing in the health and care workforce is essential to strengthening health systems, safeguarding health security and advancing sustainable development,” said Dr Diallo.
The report also highlights progress in health workforce data collection. More than 90% of WHO Member States actively reported health workforce data in 2025. Overall, health workforce data availability has increased nearly 20-fold since the NHWA was launched in 2017, reflecting improvements in national health workforce information systems.
