CONCLUSION
The key messages from the process-tracing analysis are consistent with the wider evidence.60–63 There is therefore a body of knowledge that can guide HRH policy, actions and commitments in relation to UHC. But evidence is not always transformed into policy and practice. A short-term horizon or wavering policy attention at the national or international level can hinder progress. Sustained improvements in HRH that enable the delivery of acceptable, quality care require consistent policies and long-term predictable funding, fully aligned with national needs, strategies and accountability mechanisms.
This debate should not be confined to HRH; it lays out the logic of how to maximize the accountability, transparency and impact of financial and human resources to keep global promises, measure results and improve health. It is a political imperative to face the unprecedented health and development challenges that transcend all country income groups and to shape discussion on the post-2015 development agenda for health and on the central role of HRH. Political commitment by national and global leaders is needed to build a global health workforce that is responsive to the challenges of the 21st century: one that is fit for purpose and fit to practise. While some argue that health care is labour intensive, it is worth remembering that UHC and improvements in health care are workforce enabled.