Human resources for health

75th
World Health Assembly – 2022
Constituency statement on agenda item 15. Human resources for health
Constituency formed by:
International Pharmaceutical Federation
International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation
World Medical Association
FDI World Dental Federation
World Confederation for Physical Therapy
March of Dimes
International League of Dermatological Societies
Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates,
I speak on behalf of a constituency of 7 organisations representing millions of health
professionals and students worldwide.
We welcome the Action Plan. The Health Workforce (HWF) is the core of health systems.
The shortage of health personnel will grow with the pandemic exacerbating that problem.
Due to increased educational inequities, future health professionals have either ceased
studying or received sub-standard education, further increasing the shortfall and widening
skills-gaps. The governance of HRH issues is increasingly complex and we wish to see WHO
play a central role to increase coherence between initiatives.
The delivery of high-quality health services depends on environments that support decent
work conditions. Throughout the pandemic, healthcare personnel have worked long hours,
faced unwarrantable violence and worsened mental health in high-pressure environments.
Under-investment has resulted in the deterioration of working conditions. The “protection
and performance” of the HWF requires legally binding strategies to guarantee the safety of
health personnel especially in high-risk settings, including rural areas.
States should mobilize investments to retain healthcare professionals in the profession and
in their country by providing the support they need to meet their goals. These retention
strategies include protection, resourcing, training, career development and fair
remuneration. NSA and Member states (MS) must implement the international code for
recruitment of health personnel.
MS must improve the safety and sustainability of the HWF through accountability and
instruments that enable data-driven decision-making by exploring legally binding
mechanisms to uphold workforce rights, including all equity-seeking groups and to provide
methods to analyze data to minimize institutional barriers including biases. The four
domains of the Global health and care worker compact: preventing harm; providing
support; inclusivity; and safeguarding rights, must be addressed by MS through policies and
investments.
Lastly, professionals in training and early career professionals are often used as replacement
labour or sent into the harshest working conditions. It is critical that they are not exploited
and be put unprepared into dangerous situations, for their safety and that of patients.