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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/gsk-change/2015/mar/25/live-qa-how-can-we-ensure-there-are-enough-frontline-health-workers
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| Live Q&A: How can we ensure there are enough frontline health workers? | Live Q&A: How can we ensure there are enough frontline health workers? |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Frontline health staff, such as community health workers and midwives, are the backbone of resilient, responsive health systems in developing countries. Skilled in dealing with everyday health challenges, including malaria and malnutrition, they can reach patients in even the most remote areas, helping them get the care and treatment they need. | Frontline health staff, such as community health workers and midwives, are the backbone of resilient, responsive health systems in developing countries. Skilled in dealing with everyday health challenges, including malaria and malnutrition, they can reach patients in even the most remote areas, helping them get the care and treatment they need. |
| But there are simply not enough of them. The World Health Organization estimates a global shortage of about 7.2 million health workers, and that is projected to grow to 12.9 million over the next two decades as populations expand. | But there are simply not enough of them. The World Health Organization estimates a global shortage of about 7.2 million health workers, and that is projected to grow to 12.9 million over the next two decades as populations expand. |
| A dearth of these essential workers can leave health systems vulnerable to shocks – as the Ebola outbreak in west Africa has so painfully illustrated. Many health workers lost their lives to the epidemic and the sudden demands of managing Ebola left clinics and hospitals unable to sustain their usual levels of care for diseases such as malaria. | A dearth of these essential workers can leave health systems vulnerable to shocks – as the Ebola outbreak in west Africa has so painfully illustrated. Many health workers lost their lives to the epidemic and the sudden demands of managing Ebola left clinics and hospitals unable to sustain their usual levels of care for diseases such as malaria. |
| Swelling the ranks of frontline health workers can strengthen health systems, enabling them to anticipate, prevent and manage healthcare needs. Not only does this help keep communities healthy, but it can help them to thrive economically too, with more people able to go to work and school. | Swelling the ranks of frontline health workers can strengthen health systems, enabling them to anticipate, prevent and manage healthcare needs. Not only does this help keep communities healthy, but it can help them to thrive economically too, with more people able to go to work and school. |
| Businesses are looking for innovative ways to support health worker training. Healthcare company GSK is reinvesting 20% of profits made in least-developed countries back into supporting the training of health workers in those countries along with three NGOs: Amref Health Africa, Care International and Save the Children. And as part of a broader five-year strategic partnership, GSK and Save the Children are working together to strengthen health systems by developing child-friendly medicines, engaging in proactive disaster relief, and advocating universal health coverage. | Businesses are looking for innovative ways to support health worker training. Healthcare company GSK is reinvesting 20% of profits made in least-developed countries back into supporting the training of health workers in those countries along with three NGOs: Amref Health Africa, Care International and Save the Children. And as part of a broader five-year strategic partnership, GSK and Save the Children are working together to strengthen health systems by developing child-friendly medicines, engaging in proactive disaster relief, and advocating universal health coverage. |
| So what are the best ways to increase the number of frontline health workers? What role should the government play in supporting the training and development of frontline health workers? How can the public and private sector, and NGOs, work in partnership to support them? And what is the interconnection between a strong health system and sufficient numbers of well-trained health workers? | So what are the best ways to increase the number of frontline health workers? What role should the government play in supporting the training and development of frontline health workers? How can the public and private sector, and NGOs, work in partnership to support them? And what is the interconnection between a strong health system and sufficient numbers of well-trained health workers? |
| Join experts in a live conversation to debate these and other questions on Wednesday 13 May at 1pm. | |
| Click here to register your interest in the Q&A | Click here to register your interest in the Q&A |
| Panel: | Panel: |
| Andy Wright, vice-president for global health programmes, GSKAndy is responsible for GSK’s health and access initiatives in the developing world including: lymphatic filariasis elimination; de-worming of children; malaria education; humanitarian relief; training of healthcare workers; community health programmes; and a strategic partnership with Save the Children. | Andy Wright, vice-president for global health programmes, GSKAndy is responsible for GSK’s health and access initiatives in the developing world including: lymphatic filariasis elimination; de-worming of children; malaria education; humanitarian relief; training of healthcare workers; community health programmes; and a strategic partnership with Save the Children. |
| Daryl Burnaby, community partnerships manager, GSKDaryl manages GSK’s programmes focused on training frontline health workers, including reinvesting 20% of profits from least developed countries back into supporting training of health workers in those markets. | Daryl Burnaby, community partnerships manager, GSKDaryl manages GSK’s programmes focused on training frontline health workers, including reinvesting 20% of profits from least developed countries back into supporting training of health workers in those markets. |
| Christine Galavotti, CARE InternationalDr. Christine Galavotti is the Senior Director for Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health (SRMH) at CARE. Her team partners with communities to strengthen women’s voice and increase gender equality, to promote inclusive governance, and to help build a resilient, responsive health system and an effective health workforce. | Christine Galavotti, CARE InternationalDr. Christine Galavotti is the Senior Director for Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health (SRMH) at CARE. Her team partners with communities to strengthen women’s voice and increase gender equality, to promote inclusive governance, and to help build a resilient, responsive health system and an effective health workforce. |
| Simon Wright, Save the Children UKSimon Wright is Head of Child Survival at Save the Children UK. He has worked in both the health and development sectors, including in the UK NHS as a community development manager and a public health manager. He is responsible for Save the Children UK’s global policy and advocacy activities on health, and leading its focus on child survival. | Simon Wright, Save the Children UKSimon Wright is Head of Child Survival at Save the Children UK. He has worked in both the health and development sectors, including in the UK NHS as a community development manager and a public health manager. He is responsible for Save the Children UK’s global policy and advocacy activities on health, and leading its focus on child survival. |
| Sharon Jiae Kim, One Million Community Health Workers CampaignSharon is Deputy Director at the One Million Community Health Workers Campaign. She leads the 1mCHW Campaign Secretariat in NYC. She led the development of Ghana’s operational and financial Roadmap for a national CHW program scale-up with the Ghanaian Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service and the Campaign’s Operations Room. Her team works with the Government of Ghana, non-governmental organisations, and multilateral and corporate donors to collaborate on a large-scale pilot program in the Ashanti Region. | |
| Dr. Peter Ngatia, Amref Health AfricaDr. Peter Ngatia, an esteemed Public Health Practitioner/Educationist and a 2010 recipient of the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (E.B.S) award, is the Director of Capacity Building at Amref Health Africa. His work at Amref Health Africa spans 29 years . Dr Ngatia holds academic qualifications in Rehabilitation Medicine (BSc.), Medical Education and Public Health, and a PhD in Medical Education, Planning and Development from the University of Alberta, Canada. | |
| Lesley-Anne Long, mPowering Frontline Health WorkersLesley-Anne is Global Director at mPowering Frontline Health Workers, a public-private partnership focused on ending preventable child and maternal deaths. She provides strategic leadership to mPowering and coordinates across mHealth, maternal and child health advisors, program implementers, government officials, private sector, NGOs and others focusing on sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. A former family law barrister, and Dean of a Faculty of Health & Social Care, she has a strong track record of academic publications in law, global health and child rights. | |
| This conversation took place on Wednesday 13 May. Comments are now closed. |