The Resolution 'Protecting, safeguarding and investing in the health and care workforce' got adopted at the 74th World Health Assembly on 31st May 2021.
A couple of months before, jointly with Remco van de Pas, Percy Mahlathi and Delphin Kolie, I was part of the team that reviewed the relevance and effectiveness of the five-year action plan for health employment and inclusive economic growth (2017-2021).
The independent report informed the report by Director-General of the World Health Organization about the health workforce. In this report the DG summarized progress achieved through the five-year action plan during the period from its adoption in May 2017 to December 2020, and presented a pathway for the continuation of its agenda.
Invest in the health and care workforce
About 20 Member States took the opportunity to developing a resolution, which calls on all Member States and parties involved to protect, safeguard and invest in the health and care workforce. This is urgently needed as we have seen the detrimental impact that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had across the health and social care sectors.
COVID-19, however, amplified already existing challenges. We look forward to the actual implementation of the resolution and other necessary actions to protect, safeguard and invest in the health and care workforce.