In a drive to address persistent challenges faced by public sector institutions in Burkinafaso, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra-Leone and Liberia, participants especially health and Public service specialists have established the “Health and Public Service Network of Africa” (HaPSNA)
The decision came following the end of a four day Regional Conference On Public Service Leadership Conference in Liberia.
Recognizing the urgency of workforce reform, the four countries have committed to a collaborative, innovative, and results-driven approach to strengthening governance, optimizing workforce performance, and fostering sustainable development.
The conference which started from March 4 – 7, 2025, in Monrovia, Liberia, following deliberations led to the creation of a draft regional framework for the network.
The framework document was subsequently reviewed, validated, and adopted by heads of public service institutions and ministers/representatives of ministries of health.
At the conclusion of the four-day conference, HaPSNA was established as a regional platform to enhance public sector performance, improve workforce governance, and ensure a resilient, well-trained, and innovative health workforce in member states.
During the conference participants highlighted key challenges facing the people and respective Countries to include limited financial resources, outdated infrastructure, and institutional inefficiencies that hinder the effective delivery of public services, particularly in the health sector.
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As a means of addressing said issue, participants outlined HaPSNA’s objectives among other things as strengthening health and public sector efficiency and workforce governance, the Development of sustainable financing models for health and public workforce.
At the same time , they highlighted the need to establish a coordinated platform for knowledge exchange and policy harmonization as well as enhance training, professional development, and leadership capacity in the public sector with emphasis on the human health workforce.
Other objectives include, the Utilization of digital tools for health and public service workforce monitoring, evaluation, and decision-making.
Additionally, they pointed out the need to Promote e-governance in the health and public workforce, Governance Structure HaPSNA operates under a structured framework that ensures accountability, coordination, and sustainability.
“There shall be a Panel of Experts (PoE), a multidisciplinary team responsible for research, policy alignment, and framework implementation.
The PoE shall be the Technical Advisory Body that provides specialized expertise in Human health workforce governance, digital solutions, and capacity-building”, the document added.
Moreover, The PoE shall be coordinated by one of the experts from the country that has the chairmanship for two years.
While, Four experts, two each from the Ministry of Health and the public service institution of each member state shall be identified and recommended to the regional leadership for consideration.
“There shall be a Regional Steering Committee composed of senior government officials (the Head of Health Sector, Head of the Civil Service, and other government officials with responsibility on Public Workforce Management) from member states to oversee policy execution.
The Committee shall be Chair by the host country of the annual conference and shall serve for two years. There shall be an Annual Regional Conference that Reviews progress, identifies emerging challenges, and sets policy priorities for the proper functioning of the HaPSNA”, delegates noted.
Under Capacity Building and Workforce Optimization Strategies, the delegates captured the need to Strengthening Training and Professional Development to enhance workforce performance, HaPSNA prioritizes comprehensive training programs and the establishment of Regional Training Hubs as well as Conducting a comprehensive needs assessment.
Representing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai at the ocassion as Health Minister Dr. Louis Kpoto who stated that Liberia is honored to host this critical dialogue as part of its commitment to the process.
According to her, The conference is a milestone event, not just in addressing workforce to advancing public service excellence and health system but also in strengthening professionals, inequitable workforce distribution, and challenges in
particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 8 (Decent
resilience.
She highlighted some of the challenges that the Network of Civil Service Agencies for Health Workforce to include ghost workers, absenteeism, and suboptimal
Work and Economic Growth).
The Health Ministry boss emphasized transformative step toward institutionalizing best practices, ensuring shortages but in strengthening public sector governance and institutional
region, countries grapple with critical shortages of skilled healthcare
Dr. Kpoto underscores a stark reality: without a strong, well-trained,
health coverage and public health security remain unattainable.
She told the gathering that at the height of Liberia’s health system transformation, they have the use of digital health solutions has improved data collection,
more efficient and impactful.
The Liberian health minister said the Development of a Regional Public Service Leadership Framework for
a resilient and responsive health workforce is also key.
“Together, let us forge a path in
Strengthening health workforce governance, with a focus on
dialogue, but to actionable outcomes that will shape the future recommitment that
Liberia stands ready to collaborate, share, and lead in this journey towards
that ensures equitable healthcare access for all”, she added.
Moreover, she indicated that strengthening Liberia’s health system will help
reduce over-reliance on donor funding, enhance cross-border workforce mobility frameworks, enabling the
health workforce to better performance their respective professional duties..
