Table 1

Global health workforce, by density

WHO Region
Total health workforce
Health service providers
Health management and support workers



Number

Density
(per 1000 population)
Number

% of total health
workforce
Number

% of total health
workforce

Africa
1 640 000
2.3
1 360 000
83
280 000
17
Eastern Mediterranean
2 100 000
4.0
1 580 000
75
520 000
25
South-East Asia
7 040 000
4.3
4 730 000
67
2 300 000
33
Western Pacific
10 070 000
5.8
7 810 000
78
2 260 000
23
Europe
16 630 000
18.9
11 540 000
69
5 090 000
31
Americas
21 740 000
24.8
12 460 000
57
9 280 000
43
World
59 220 000
9.3
39 470 000
67
19 750 000
33

Note: All data for latest available year. For countries where data on the number of health management and support workers were not available, estimates have been made based on regional averages for countries with complete data.

Data sources: World Health Organization. Global Atlas of the Health Workforce http://www.who.int/globalatlas/default.asp

McCoy et al. Human Resources for Health 2008 6:16   doi:10.1186/1478-4491-6-16