This paper asks “What are the health workforce implications of and requirements for the implementation
of the primary health care agenda in the 21st century?” It builds on evidence that informed the
development of the global strategy on human resources and the Commission’s report. It describes the
current state of the primary health care workforce based on four dimensions of workforce performance:
availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality; presents a brief review of the driving forces of change
and their effect on primary health care services and the workforce; and concludes with policy options to
optimize the performance of the primary health care workforce and the actions required for their successful
implementation.
