**3. Global critical nurse shortage**

Healthcare industry was tackling global NS even before the pandemic. In 2020, WHO published SOWN report that highlights global nursing workforce to be 27.9 million, estimating 5.9 million NS globally [1].

The report indicates, 89% NS is concentrated in low-income and lower-middleincome WHO countries (Africa, South-East Asia, and Eastern Mediterranean) [2, 3]. Globally, 17% nurses are expected to retire in the next 10 years, needing to educate and employe 4.7 million nurses to only maintain current workforce numbers, without addressing the shortage [5]. In total, 10.6 million nurses will be needed by 2030 [3].
