Strengthening human resources for health through multisectoral approaches and leadership: the case of Cameroon.

PROBLEM: Cameroon has a severe shortage of human resources for health (HRH) and those that are available are concentrated in urban areas.

APPROACH: As the result of a national emergency plan for the years 2006-2008, innovative strategies and a multisectoral partnership - led by the Ministry of Public Health and supported by diverse national and international organizations - were developed to address the shortages and maldistribution of HRH in Cameroon.

LOCAL SETTING: At the time that the emergency plan was developed, Cameroon had health services of poor quality, an imbalance between HRH training and employment, a maldistribution of HRH between urban and rural areas and a poor allocation of financial resources for HRH. It also lacked an accreditation system for use in the training of health workers.

RELEVANT CHANGES: Between 2007 and 2009, the number of active health workers in Cameroon increased by 36%, several new institutions for higher education in health care and training schools for paramedical staff and midwives were opened, and a national strategy for universal health coverage was developed.

LESSONS LEARNT: In the improvement of HRH, strong leadership is needed to ensure effective coordination and communication between the many different stakeholders. A national process of coordination and facilitation can produce a consensus-based view of the main HRH challenges. Once these challenges have been identified, the stakeholders can plan appropriate interventions that are coordinated, evidence-based and coherent.