75 Years After, WHO, Calls For Concerted Effort To Meet Projected Shortage of 10m Health Workers By 2030
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Seventy Five years after inception, World Health Organization, WHO, says though there has been extraordinary progress in protecting people from diseases and destruction, in areas such as smallpox eradication, reducing the incidence of polio by 99%, saving millions of lives through childhood immunization, recording declines in maternal mortality and improving health and well-being for millions more people, much work still needs to be done to realize the founding vision of the highest attainable standard of health for all.
The constitution of the World Health Organization came into force seventy-five years ago, in the aftermath of the deadliest and most destructive war in human history, it was a treaty between nations of the world, who recognized that health was not only a fundamental human right, but also fundamental to peace and security.
WHO”s Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says there must be global cooperation so as to meet the global challenges hence WHO is urging countries to take urgent action to protect, support and expand the health workforce as a strategic priority.
He called on governments and leaders to take action to protect, invest in health and care workers who are in the forefront of the response to health and climate emergencies
According to the WHO Director-General, nations have continued to face vast inequities in access to health services, major gaps in the world’s defences against health emergencies, and threats from health harming products and the climate crisis but investments in education, skills and decent jobs for health need to be prioritized to meet the rapidly growing demand for health and avert a projected shortage of 10 million health workers by 2030 in low- and middle-income countries.
WHO had recently announced a global education programme on basic emergency care targeting 25% of nurses and midwives from 25 low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2025
The 25x25x25 emergency care programme is expected to provide nurses and midwives with the skills and competencies to make a major difference in saving lives and reducing disabilities.
Looking forward to the next 75 years and close to the turn of the next century, a renewed commitment to health equity will be the key to addressing future health challenges.
WHO’s roadmap to recovery in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, includes an urgent paradigm shift towards promoting health and well-being and preventing disease by addressing its root causes and creating the conditions for health to thrive.
It is on this backdrop that WHO is urging countries to provide health by prioritizing primary health care as the foundation of universal health coverage as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that protecting health is fundamental to economie’s, societies’ security and stability.
WHO, says it is ever ready to support countries of the world as they negotiate a pandemic accord, the revision of the International Health Regulations and other financial, governance and operational initiatives to prepare the world for future pandemics.
The Director General revealed that over the past five years, WHO had invested in science and digital health, creating a Science Division led by the Organization’s first Chief Scientist saying it came at a time when science is under sustained attack every day.
He urged countries to protect the public from misinformation and disinformation as the future of health depends on how well Health is powered through science, research, innovation, data, digital technologies, and partnerships.
“The history of WHO in the past seven and a half decades, demonstrates what is possible when nations come together for a common purpose,” Dr. Ghebreyesus, said.
On 7 April 2023, the World Health Organization, (WHO), will mark its 75th anniversary, along with its 194 Member States and other partners, by calling for a renewed drive for health equity.
