The Ministry of Health has proposed an increase in the retirement age for health workers to address shortfalls in staffing at health institutions. In its document, "Human Resource for Health Policies and Strategies (2007-2011)", the ministry explained that from experience, most retirees were active, and their services could be utilised, and noted that since it took a long period to train others to replace the retirees, it was important certain measures were taken to address the possible human resource gaps that their retirement might create in the health sector. It noted that "the current health workforce is aged and very soon a greater proportion of health workers, especially from the midwifery and medical assistants groups, may retire from public service". "This policy serves as a machinery to enable the health sector to advocate government to extend the retirement age of active health workers so that their services could be extended whilst concrete plans would be instituted to prepare those who are due for pension," he said. The document said the ministry would facilitate the development of specific job descriptions that matched worker remuneration for all health employees. It said available records in the public sector indicated that job descriptions for the various categories of health workers were sometimes not in place in some health institutions, making it difficult for some staff members to understand their roles and responsibilities. As a result, it said, the achievement of health goals were negatively affected, adding that "this policy, therefore, enforces the development of job descriptions that clearly set out objectives, responsibilities, lines of accountability and authority for all jobs in the health sector". The ministry, it indicated, would ensure fairness in promotions for all categories of staff, since promotion in the past had been linked to long service with little recognition for performance. "Promotion to a higher level or grade has, therefore, become automatic with length of service. This did not promote workplace performance and accountability. This policy, however, intends to ensure that there is fairness and objectivity in promotions for all categories of health workers and that promotions would be performance related," it explained among other things. The document said the ministry would ensure equitable distribution of he~th professionals in the health sector, adding that a major challenge with human resource for health in the country was mal-distribution of health workers, since it was highly skewed towards the urban areas. It said that was affecting healthcare delivery in certain parts of the country as some health workers were overburdened. It said the ministry would institute a comprehensive performance management system in all sectors of health care delivery and that to address the current human resource for health challenges for better health outcomes, there was the need for a well-performing workforce that was responsive. The document said the Human Resource Policies for the health sector spanning the period 2007-2011 were targeted at solving the existing human resource challenges in the country, taking into account global human resources for health issues. Source: Daily Graphic