Health workforce
PDF Upload
World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA)
World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA)
C/o FDI World Dental Federation, Avenue Louis-Casaï, 51, 1216 Geneva, Switzerland
info@whpa.org – http://www.whpa.org/
WHO 74th World Health Assembly
Joint Intervention on Item 15: Health workforce – Working for
health: five-year action plan for health employment and
inclusive economic growth (2017–2021)
I speak on behalf of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and the World Health
Professions Alliance (WHPA) – representing over 41 million dentists, pharmacists, nurses,
physicians and physiotherapists.
We thank WHO for the DG’s report on the action plan for health employment and inclusive
economic growth and urge Member States to be bold when discussing a renewed mandate. This
should leverage the International Year of Health and Care Workers, focusing on the need to retain,
protect and invest in the health workforce for COVID-19 recovery and into the future.
There is an urgent need to invest in the workforce and we welcome the investment agenda
proposal. According to the report, the final budget of the 2017-2021 action plan had a US$ 63
million deficit. Stronger commitments must be made and then achieved. Governments must
understand that investment in the health workforce makes economic sense.
We are testament and firm believers of the power of working together. The upcoming working
group to produce the new mandate must include health professionals to ensure the response
properly addresses real education and job needs. We highly recommended that Members States
and WHO reach out to health professional organisations at the national and international levels.
The 2020 World Patient Safety Day theme was “Health worker safety: a priority for patient
safety” and this pandemic has highlighted that decent and safe working conditions are essential
to deliver better health outcomes, overcome economic crises and respond more effectively to
disasters. This can be achieved through Positive Practice Environments – healthcare settings
that support decent working conditions, attract and retain staff, provide quality patient care, strive
for excellence and strengthen the health sector as a whole. WHPA’s campaign urges
governments to Stand Up for Positive Practice Environments and provides concrete actions to
do so.
(295 words)