News DeskDubai, UAE – The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that a global shortage of 11 million healthcare workers is projected by 2030. Addressing this could generate US$1.1 trillion for the global economy, with the McKinsey Health Institute estimating that around $300 billion of that could be from healthcare worker jobs.
At the panel discussion titled ‘The Workforce We’ll Need: Planning for 2030 and Beyond’ held at the Healthcare Leadership forum on the Visionary Stage during World Health Expo (WHX), which takes place until tomorrow, 12 February at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, healthcare leaders addressed how to build a sustainable, high-quality healthcare workforce for the next decade.
Against this backdrop of rising demand and ageing populations in many parts of the world, the panel discussed how the UAE can shift from a recruitment-led model to one that balances international talent with strong local pipelines.
Hein Van Eck, CEO, Mediclinic Middle East, Dubai, UAE, explained that healthcare systems risk losing critical expertise in specialised nursing, and that understanding why staff leave is key to better retention.
“It is not a problem for us to get skilled workers into the system, but it is a problem that we lose highly skilled unit managers who are very scarce to come by. We have to acknowledge the fact that they’re not leaving for money. They are leaving to gain a passport for their family and for future generations. We need to make sure we always have a good pipeline growing and we show them there is future career progression. The push to become self-reliant is certainly there, so it is moving in the right direction.”
Mohaymen Abdelghany, Group CEO & Executive Board Member, Fakeeh Health, emphasised the need to distinguish between controllable and uncontrollable attrition and to act on areas within their control. He pointed to structured retention strategies, alongside a step-change in local education and training capacity, as the foundations for long-term resilience. Concrete examples, such as the hundreds of students and trainees already moving through local programmes, illustrated how the region is starting to turn strategy into practice.
Jim Campbell, Director, Health Workforce, World Health Organisation, discussed how international recruitment patterns and education systems in exporting countries affect the future workforce. He argued that linking education to employment and making universities anchor institutions can help countries like the UAE build a balanced, sustainable workforce model.
Looking ahead, he highlighted Africa and other fast-growing regions as key partners in a thoughtfully planned global workforce strategy. He encouraged the UAE to take a leadership role in that conversation.
“There is a workforce strategy being developed currently [in the UAE]. It started last year. It is the first-ever federal strategy looking at a 10-15 year account. [The UAE] is the first country to actually, intentionally understand labour economics and markets. We have economic demand, but a limited supply currently. And, so, the intention looked at the opportunity to work with Africa and to work with the diaspora,” he added.
Across the discussion, the panellists converged on a clear message: future-proofing the healthcare workforce will depend on a combination of stronger domestic training pipelines, targeted retention strategies, and responsible international collaboration.
In addition to the opportunity to participate in expert-led conversations across the Visionary, Future X, and Frontiers Stages, WHX attendees also had access to CME-accredited conferences to advance their careers. Elsewhere on the conference agenda at WHX today, attendees explored a wide range of clinical topics, including the evolving role of radiology in the modern health system, artificial intelligence in reproductive medicine, new frontiers in cancer care, and women leaders driving technology innovation.
Ross Williams, Commercial Director, Informa Markets Healthcare, said: “Workforce strategy is ultimately about people and opportunity. At WHX, we convene leaders to shape long-term workforce planning while also delivering tangible educational pathways through our CME-accredited conferences, leadership forums and specialist stages. These platforms ensure healthcare professionals at every level are equipped for the demands of 2030 and beyond.”
