The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised countries to take urgent action to protect, support and expand the health workforce as a strategic priority, in order to meet the rapidly growing demand for medics and avert a projected shortage of 10 million health workers by 2030, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. WHO in a statement to commemorate its 75th anniversary, advocated that investments in education, skills, and decent jobs for health need to be prioritized to meet the rapidly growing demand for health. WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The history of WHO demonstrates what is possible when nations come together for a common purpose.
“We have much to be proud of, but much work to do to realize our founding vision of the highest attainable standard of health for all people. We continue to face vast inequities in access to health services, major gaps in the world’s defenses against health emergencies, and threats from health-harming products and the climate crisis.
“We can only meet these global challenges with global cooperation.”
The statement disclosed that a global education program on basic emergency care targeting 25% of nurses and midwives from 25 low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2025 was also recently announced by WHO.
In a related development, The Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals has expressed worry over the high rate of brain drain among healthcare workers in the country.
National President of the union, Dr. Obinna Ogbonna, while speaking in a press statement said, “A lot of healthcare workers are leaving the shores of the nation due to non-availability of equipment, harsh environment, poor remuneration, better standard of living and life quality.
“This leaves a few professionals to care for too many patients thus, leading to burnout. The available healthcare workers collapse and sometimes die while giving care to patients. There is a need to circumvent the situation.”
