Dominica advances health workforce planning with development of centralized workforce database

Roseau, Dominica, 8 September 2026 (PAHO/WHO) - The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services, with technical support from the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) through the Pandemic Fund project for Eastern Caribbean Countries, has begun development of a Centralized Health Workforce Database and Dashboard of Indicators (CHWD+) to strengthen health workforce planning and pandemic preparedness.

The initiative will improve the availability, quality and use of health workforce data to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen health service delivery and enhance Dominica's capacity to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.

During a workshop held from 2-4 September 2026, stakeholders examined strategic health workforce planning and the development of a national Health Workforce Information System. The sessions were facilitated by Dr. Viswanath Partapsingh, PAHO/WHO Advisor, Health Systems and Services for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries.

Participants represented the Ministry of Health, Dominica Hospital Authority, Dominica Medical Board, Dominica Nursing Council, tertiary educational institutions including All Saints University and the American Canadian University School of Medicine, and other partner organizations.

Addressing participants on behalf of Dr. Eva Jane Llopis, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, Dr. Nicole Slack-Liburd, PAHO/WHO Country Program Specialist for Dominica, emphasized that effective health workforce planning must consider the full range of personnel who contribute to the delivery of health services, while also drawing on partnerships beyond the health sector.

"This initiative highlights the importance of collaboration across sectors. Academic institutions play an important role in developing both our future health workforce and those already serving who continue to advance their training. Ministries responsible for education, training and recruitment also have an important contribution to make, as does the Ministry of Agriculture within a One Health approach to pandemic preparedness and response," Dr. Slack-Liburd said.

The mission introduced Dominica's proposed DHIS2-based Health Workforce Information System, which will provide a centralized repository of workforce information to support national analysis, planning and reporting. The system is intended to complement existing human resource management processes while supporting national, regional and international reporting requirements, including the National Health Workforce Accounts.

Participants reviewed the proposed structure of the database and began developing a health workforce data dictionary specific to Dominica. This will define the information to be collected, how it will be classified, where it will come from and how it will be used for planning and reporting.

Once implemented, CHWD+ will provide decision-makers with a clearer picture of the country's health workforce, including its distribution, qualifications, licensure, specialization, retirement trends and staffing gaps. Through accompanying dashboards, the information can help identify recruitment needs, workforce shortages, succession planning requirements, training priorities and opportunities for more effective deployment of personnel.

Nurse Priscilla Prevost, President of the Dominica Nursing Council, also underscored the importance of recognizing the contribution of the wider health workforce, including personnel who may not traditionally be considered clinical staff.

"This workshop will benefit the Ministry of Health, the Nursing Council and others engaged in providing services because oftentimes there are people who may not be part of the 'medical personnel' per se, but they contribute to the human resources for health in the country," Nurse Prevost stated.

The next phase will focus on finalizing Dominica's health workforce data dictionary, customizing the CHWD+ platform, populating the database using existing workforce records and validation processes, and developing dashboards tailored to national planning and management needs.

The CHWD+ workshop formed part of a wider five-day PAHO/WHO technical cooperation mission, conducted from 31 August to 4 September 2026, to advance implementation of the Essential Public Health Functions, including work to strengthen health financing and workforce planning.

The development of CHWD+ is supported through the Pandemic Fund project, "Strengthening Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Emerging Health Threats in the Eastern Caribbean," which supports Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.