HEALTH-PROFESSIONS DEVELOPMENT

Health professions development is an integral part of national health plans. It is influenced by various factors and should be continuously updated to meet the changing health situation and related disciplines of the country. There are three forms of establishing a health manpowe r development plan: a market-oriented form, a goal-achievement form an d a normative form. a combination of ail forms is best if carried out by a community-oriented team of academic health professions and health care providers. Although countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Regio n share many demographic, geographic, and sociocultural characterisiti cs, there are marked differences in resources, health manpower structu re and availability in health services. Health professional developmen t plans should be formulated according to existing situations. Other f actors influencing health manpower development in the future include p olitical, social and economic trends, changes in morality and disease patterns, industrialization, availability of health services and acade mic institutions. Perspectives guiding planning for the development of various categories of health professionals are presented.