Determination of Actual Human Resources for Health Staffing Requirements Using the Workload Indicators for Staffing Needs Methodology.

Abstract

Uganda has chronically had inadequate numbers of trained health personnel, poor equitable distribution of the human resources, poor skills mix and ineffective use of available human resources with non-professional task shifting in place. The study determined the appropriate number, cadre mix and the work-related pressures experienced at different level of health Centres in Mityana District in order to enhance effective and efficient use of human resources for health (HRH).

The study adopted the Workload Indictors for Staffing Needs Methodology (WISN) process and data analysis package as developed by Shipp, (1988) which is currently being piloted and rolled out in Uganda. Health Unit monthly reports summarized in the HMIS 105 and HMIS 108 for a period from January 2011 to December 2011 in all the 32 public health facilities was used for data collection.

The findings reveal that the district in 2011 had 254 health workers consisting of 10 Doctors, 26 Clinical Officers, 83 Midwives, 105 Nurses and 30 Nursing Assistants. Yet, according to the WISN staffing requirements, the district is supposed to have 16 Doctors, 29 Clinical Officers, 55 Midwives, 92 Nurses and 57 Nursing Assistants, giving a deficit of 5 health workers in total.

To meet the district WISN staffing requirements there is need to: recruit more health worker per facility deficit, improve the equitable distribution by cadre, reduce un-professional tasking shifting, budget for human resources for health as well as implement incentive scheme for hard to reach and to stay areas.