2019-01-22 WHPA statement on 6.3 Human Resources for Health

WHO Executive Board 144
Joint Intervention on Item 6.3 Human Resources for Health –
Global Strategy on human resources for health: workforce 2030
I am speaking on behalf of FDI World Dental Federation, supported by the World Health
Professions Alliance (WHPA), representing over 31 million nurses, pharmacists, physical
therapists, dentists, and physicians in over 130 countries.
WHPA welcomes the Secretariat’s report on the WHO Global Strategy on Human Resources for
Health: Workforce 2030, which shows that WHO and Member States are making significant
progress in strengthening the health workforce.
Despite this, continued action is needed if we are to realize universal health coverage and other
health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. We urge Member States to continue to
implement the policy options provided in the global strategy and WHPA stands ready to assist
with its implementation. Furthermore, the need for states to invest in recruitment and retention of
their workforce continues to be crucial.
It is encouraging to see that in Clause 6., WHO is in the process of developing a global
competency framework for education and training of primary health care workers with the Global
Health Workforce Network Hub. We request to participate in the consultation round of this
framework.
We support the Secretariat’s proposals in Clause 27 (a) and (b) for Member States to report
national data on human resources for health through the online platform for national health
workforce accounts and to recommend the proposed streamlined reporting on health workforce
resolutions to the Health Assembly. We recommend however that such data collection is
meaningfully processed, without adding further burden on health professionals.
Finally, we would like to stress that health professionals are here to help and are key
stakeholders in improving quality of care and health systems. We encourage states to work with
health professionals in order to better understand, prepare and plan for the existing and future
needs of their health workforce and system.