Capacity development is the process through which individuals, organizations and societies obtain, strengthen and maintain their capabilities to set and achieve their own development objectives over time. Workforce training and competency is central to the success of any public health system. The delivery of quality health care is dependent on the knowledge and skills of public health personnel. Hence, public health workforce development plays a crucial role in improving the capacity of national health systems, allowing them to address present and future challenges of population health. Capacity development goes well beyond the technical cooperation and training approaches that have been associated with ‘capacity building’ in the past.
