Impact of COVID-19 on Human Resources for Health and Policy Response: the Case of Belize, Grenada, and Jamaica

ABSTRACT

Health workers are crucial in the preparedness and response to COVID-19, but the pandemic has evidenced the shortage of human resources for health (HRH) in certain countries, reduced or lack of protective equipment, and timely protocols to address occupational, health and safety issues. Health workers have been infected by the virus with consequences in terms of morbidity and mortality. Consequently, available staff workload is expected to increase. While the COVID-19 pandemic has stressed health workforce shortages in countries, it has also led to identifying ways to rapidly hire and train the health workforce. The recognition and understanding of the mechanisms used by countries (such as recruitment processes, type of redeployment, incentives) will provide evidence on ways to address health worker shortages during such outbreaks and therefore implementation gaps will be reduced. This report informs and analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on health workers' occupational health and safety concerns, working conditions, as well as policy responses to address these issues and to increase HRH surge capacity in Belize, Grenada, and Jamaica. The report also describes elements related to HRH and COVID-19 vaccination in selected countries and shares the experiences from Belize, Grenada, and Jamaica (members of CARICOM), which represent different areas of the Caribbean. The report will also inform the HRH Action Task Force and its contribution to technical cooperation and HRH management support. The target audience includes policy-makers, academics, and researchers on addressing health worker issues during health emergencies.