According to WHO, how many additional nurses and midwives will the world need by 2030 to reach SDG 3?

According to the World Health Organization, the global health workforce faces a significant shortage, particularly in nursing and midwifery. In its projections related to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages, the WHO has estimated that the world will need approximately 9 million additional nurses and midwives by 2030. This figure reflects the gap between current workforce levels and those required to deliver essential health services at the coverage levels needed to meet the SDG targets. The figure of 12 million overestimates the projection. The figures of 5 million and 2 million significantly underestimate the scale of the global nursing shortage. This statistic underscores the critical importance of nursing education, workforce planning, and international health policy, and it highlights why nursing is central to global health agendas. Students preparing for leadership and community health content should be familiar with key global health workforce data, as these figures inform policy discussions, funding decisions, and strategic planning at institutional and governmental levels. Recognizing the WHO's 9 million estimate is important for understanding the global context in which nursing shortages are discussed and addressed.