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Launching
the UN High Commission on Health Employment & Economic Growth On September 20th, 2016, the UN's 'High-Level Commission on Health Employment & Economic Growth' was launched during the UN's 71st General Assembly in New York City.
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This Commission pointed to key issues facing us globally — growing populations, changing disease patterns and economic trends — all projected to lead to the creation of about 40 million new health sector jobs by 2030, These jobs are mostly in middle- and high-income countries.
Conversely, there will be a projected shortage of 18 million health workers to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, mostly in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This mismatch poses a threat — not only to human health — but to health security and the global economy, as west Africa’s Ebola outbreak demonstrated. |
Commission Group Photo: Lower row, from left: H.E. Mr François Hollande, President of the French Republic, Commission Chair; Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Commission Vice-Chair; and H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa, Commission Chair. Upper Row, 5 of the 19 Commissioners from the left: Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder of the Grameen Bank; Dr. Judith Shamian, President of the International Council of Nurses (ICN); Dr. Alaa Murabit, Founder of the 'Voice of Libyan Women' and Sustainable Development Goals Advocate; Dr. Joanne Liu, International President of 'Doctors Without Borders'; and Dr. Denis Mukwege, Founder of the 'Physicians for Human Rights.' Photo derived from Google Drive 'Commission on Health Employment 20-9-16' Used with required attribution.
“there will be a projected shortage of 18 million health workers to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, mostly in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This mismatch poses a threat — not only to human health — but to health security and the global economy,”
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This “calls for a change in the way policy-makers look at the health sector — not as a drain on resources but as a source of opportunities,” noted Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO's Director-General “Employment in the health sector can operate as a counterforce to the world’s growing inequalities in income levels and opportunities.”
Learn more >> about this High-Level Commission's Six Recommendations for Investment
Nurses' Global Representative
Brings Our Voice
to the Table
”This Commission was tasked with proposing actions to guide the creation of health and social sector jobs as a means to advance inclusive economic growth.... I caution all of us if we feel our mission is accomplished. In many ways the real work is just beginning.
Further, it will be important for this Commission's Report to be read and shared. To this end, the role of civil society and the NGO health community needs to be both strong and integrated in partnership for the achievement of this agenda.
I commit to engaging health professionals and their international organizations, encouraging them to reflect upon opportunities for engagement in leadership, scholarship, policy, practice, and service for themselves and their organizations.
We will need every one of us contributing to the multi-sectorial work necessary to continue building health equity, mitigating the social determinants of health, and achieving universal health coverage.”
From ICN President Dr. Judith Shamian's remarks at the Final Meeting of the UN High-Level Commission on Health Employment & Economic Growth, 19, September, 2016. The above right photo of Dr. Shamian is derived from Google Drive 'Commission on Health Employment 20-9-16' Used with required attribution. Looking on is Dr. Alaa Murabit, Founder of the 'Voice of Libyan Women'
Brings Our Voice
to the Table
”This Commission was tasked with proposing actions to guide the creation of health and social sector jobs as a means to advance inclusive economic growth.... I caution all of us if we feel our mission is accomplished. In many ways the real work is just beginning.
Further, it will be important for this Commission's Report to be read and shared. To this end, the role of civil society and the NGO health community needs to be both strong and integrated in partnership for the achievement of this agenda.
I commit to engaging health professionals and their international organizations, encouraging them to reflect upon opportunities for engagement in leadership, scholarship, policy, practice, and service for themselves and their organizations.
We will need every one of us contributing to the multi-sectorial work necessary to continue building health equity, mitigating the social determinants of health, and achieving universal health coverage.”
From ICN President Dr. Judith Shamian's remarks at the Final Meeting of the UN High-Level Commission on Health Employment & Economic Growth, 19, September, 2016. The above right photo of Dr. Shamian is derived from Google Drive 'Commission on Health Employment 20-9-16' Used with required attribution. Looking on is Dr. Alaa Murabit, Founder of the 'Voice of Libyan Women'
Click here >> to learn more details about this High-Level Commission on the International Council of Nurses (ICN) website.
Health Workers: Triple Return for Health, Economic Growth, & Employment
Creating more jobs for health workers holds the potential to:
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One — Bolster Health & Health Security
Photo Credit: © 2007 Omar Mohsen
Courtesy of Photoshare ID 2007-452 |
Two — Spur Inclusive Economic Growth
Photo Credit: © 2015 Girdhari Bora/ SIFPSA/ mSEHAT /Courtesy of Photoshare ID 38150-23
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Three — Empower Women & Youth
Photo Credit: © 2015 Lucian Alexe/
Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition, Courtesy of Photoshare ID 24581-4 |
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This High-Level Commission's official Report "Working for Health & Growth: Investing in The Health Workforce' — released in English & French — can be downloaded here >> |