According to the UN agency, African countries have been most affected by the incident 37 countries in the continent are facing a shortage of health workers He threatening their prospects Achieving universal health care by 2030 – a key sustainable development goals pledge.
The work of rich countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) come under scrutiny In WHO alert, among other areas.
recruitment drive
“Within Africa it is a very vibrant economy that is creating new opportunities”, said Dr Jim Campbell, director responsible for health worker policy at WHO.
“Gulf countries have has traditionally relied on international personnel and then some OECD high-income countries have really fast their recruitment and employment to respond to the pandemic and the loss of life, infections, absenteeism of workers during the pandemic”.
To help countries protect their vulnerable health care systems, WHO issues an update List of health workforce support and safeguardsWhich highlights countries with low numbers of qualified health care workers.
“these countries need priority support To develop the health workforce and strengthen the health system along with additional safeguards you LIMIT Active international recruitment,” WHO stressed.
A 5-month-old child was vaccinated in a camp for displaced people in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
tedros call
Support the call for universal healthcare for all countries in line with sustainable development goalsWHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on all countries “to respect the provisions WHO health workforce support and safeguards list”.
Health workers “are the backbone of every health system, and yet in 55 countries with some of the world’s most fragile health systems, there are not enough and Many are losing their health workers due to international migrationTedros said.
business interest
Although many countries respect existing WHO guidelines on the recruitment of health care workers, the principle is not accepted wholesale, WHO warns.
“What we’re seeing is Most countries are respecting those provisions (by) not actively recruiting from these (vulnerable) countries,” said WHO’s Dr Campbell. “But there is also a private recruitment market It exists and we are looking for them to reach certain global standards that are expected in terms of their practice and behaviour.
The WHO official said mechanisms also exist for governments or other individuals to inform WHO if they are “concerned” about employers’ behaviour.
WHO health workforce support and protection list does not prohibit international recruitmentbut recommends that governments engage in such programs informed about the health effects systems in countries where they source qualified health professionals.