Ministerial Statement on Global Action Plan calls for investing in and supporting health workers
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On the margins of the United Nations General Assembly today, a Foreign Ministerial meeting reviewed progress of the COVID-19 Global Action Plan (GAP) initiative: identifying priorities to end the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening readiness for future pandemics.
United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken along with Bangladesh Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen, MP, Botswana Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Lemogang Kwape, and Spain Minister for Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares Bueno issued a Chairs’ Statement.
The Statement emphasizes action on the delivery of vaccines, diagnostics and treatment; closing information gaps and addressing misinformation; support to health and care workers; supply chain strengthening; and strengthening global health security to better prepare for, respond to and recover from future health threats.
Ministers emphasized the importance of “turning vaccines into vaccinations” by supporting nationally led campaigns, strategically oriented to country context, targeting vulnerable populations and building upon routine immunization.
Related to the role of health and care workers the Chairs’ Statement called for all health and care workers to have priority access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments, as well as other locally needed health tools.
Ministers noted the reports of increased stress, anxiety, and depression among health and care workers and the need for governments and employers to support their mental health and wellbeing.
Ministers also emphasized the importance of gender dynamics in the sector to account for the fact that almost 7 in 10 health workers globally are women.
Finally, Ministers welcomed WHO’s Roadmap for Public Health and Emergency Workforce as an opportunity to align action and investment.
WHO welcomes the focus on safeguarding, equipping, and building capacities of the health and care workforce, especially in public health and emergency preparedness and response. “The Ministers of Foreign Affairs have set out some clear actions to end the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure we have a workforce that can prevent and respond to future crises”, noted WHO Health Workforce Director Jim Campbell. “All countries and partners can take actions to protect, safeguard and invest in their workforce, and I encourage them to review WHO’s evidence-based tools and policy guidance, including the Roadmap, the Working for Health Action Plan, the Global Health and Care Worker Compact and forthcoming guidance on mental health to inspire those actions”.
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