Asia’s nursing leaders call for stronger national workforce planning and chart a path forward
Nursing leaders from across Asia have highlighted a critical disconnect between global commitments to strengthen nursing workforces and the reality of national-level implementation, warning that many countries lack the strategic frameworks needed to address persistent workforce shortages and advocating for urgent action and investment.
These insights emerged at the 23rd Asia Workforce Forum in Beijing, co-hosted by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Chinese Nursing Association (CNA), 12–13 November 2025, with ICN CEO Howard Catton in attendance. The annual Chinese Nursing Association conference, which preceded the Workforce Forum, set the tone for vital discussions around workforce development, planning, and system strengthening. At the Forum, representatives from 13 national and regional nursing associations collectively representing nearly 14 million nurses came together to exchange insights about nursing in the region and identify concrete pathways for change. Participants endorsed a Communiqué setting forth strategic actions to address the most pressing nursing workforce issues.