Time to Tackle the Social Welfare Workforce Shortage

Carol Bales — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:49:23 +0000

Global health workforce challenges have deservedly received much attention in recent years and are being tackled in many positive and innovative ways at the country level. The social welfare workforce (SWW) in many countries is facing similarly complex, yet lesser known, challenges that are beginning to attract additional attention and support.

Since 2010, CapacityPlus has been working to strengthen the SWW by adapting and building on lessons learned from global and country responses to improve the health workforce. In January, Paul Marsden and I were part of a team that visited Malawi to meet with government representatives, implementing partners, and SWW leaders to identify how the project could contribute to country-led efforts to strengthen the SWW, particularly focusing on developing social workers and the social work profession to best support child protection services.

Author's name:

Dana Singleton

Publication Date:

March 2012

Keeping Smiles on Their Faces

Carol Bales — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:21:03 +0000

It's been about three weeks since I was in Malawi, and I haven't stopped thinking about the smiling faces of the health workers at the Pirimiti Community Hospital. As I watched them go about their work, I wondered what it was that kept the smiles on their faces.

CapacityPlus is helping the Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) strengthen human resources management in affiliated health facilities. I was visiting the hospital to better understand needs at the facility level.

One of the nurses I was observing approached me, and asked me if I needed any assistance. It was about 1:30 p.m. and the human resources officer and medical director that I was waiting to see had not yet arrived from their lunch break. The nurse offered to show me around the hospital as I waited.

Author's name:

Doris Mwarey

Publication Date:

February 2012