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Alliance News Digest

Information

WEEK OF 17 JULY 2009

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News from the Global Health Workforce Alliance

• Global Health Workforce Alliance applauds G8 2009 focus on addressing health workforce crisis - The Alliance
  The Global Health Workforce Alliance welcomes the G8 declaration on health and development, as well as the Health Experts’ Report on ‘promoting global health’ endorsed by G8 leaders at this year’s Summit held in L’Aquila.
  
  

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

• Doctors may join health workers' strike, minister pleads for time - The Guardian, Nigeria
  MEDICAL services in the country may grind to a halt as medical doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have threatened to join other health workers on an indefinite strike.
  

• OMS defende formação como prioridade na cooperação com Angola - Angola Press
  O Representante da OMS em Angola que a formação, capacitação e retenção de recursos humanos continua a ser uma das áreas prioritárias na cooperação com Angola na área da saúde.
  

• Healthcare in reverse - Mail & Guardian, SA
  South Africa is failing on the most basic international measures of poverty and healthcare, especially regarding infant and maternal mortality.
  

• Doctors Reject Government's New Pay Offer - Business Day, SA
  AN OVERWHELMING majority of public sector doctors have rejected the government's occupation specific dispensation (OSD) salary increase offer, which may pave the way for another strike.
  

• Mallinga Assures Doctors of Better Pay - New Vision, Uganda
  "Many of our doctors are working in countries like Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and the DR Congo where they are getting better pay," Health Minister said.
  

• Delta to Provide Free Healthcare For the Elderly - This Day, Nigeria
  The free health care for the elderly is for those from 70 years and above. We believe our people deserve quality health care," Delta State Governor said.
  

• Health Workers Suspend Strike - This Day, Nigeria
  Health workers in hospitals throughout the country, yesterday, announced the suspension of the industrial action they embarked upon over a week ago due to the failure of government to pay their monetisation arrears.
  

• Health workers refuse to suspend strike - Daily Sun, Nigeria
  Medical and Health Workers in Federal Government hospitals across Lagos State have refused to return to work despite the directive from the national union.
  

• Rate of brain drain worries ECOWAS parliament - The Vanguard, Nigeria
  ECOWAS Parliament has expressed concern over the increasing rate of brain drain, diseases and poverty among African countries.
  
  

ASIA AND PACIFIC

• A doctor’s death and the dying health system - Davao Today, Philippines
  Dr. Jean Lindo, a member of the doctors’ group Rx for Peace, said that amidst the continuing migration of doctors out of the country, Peñera’s death was a big loss.
  

• All’s not well in the health sector - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka
  27,000 doctors, 20,000 plus nurses, 1000 PHIs posts have to be filled say GMOA and other trade unions.
  

• Pinoy youth joins health care workers rally in New Jersey - abs-cbn News, Philippines
  Members of progressive Filipino youth organizations rallied behind health care workers demanding for better wages and benefits at Castle Hill Nursing Home in New Jersey.
  

• Health workers sick with A (H1N1) get P150,000 benefits, says DoLE - Manila Bulletin, Philippipnes
  Public and private healthcare workers who were diagnosed with influenza A (H1N1) should avail of P150,000 in hospital benefits and not PP75,000 as what most employees might have thought.
  

• 100% salary raise proposed for teachers, health workers, judges and police - Daily Times, Pakistan
  The Pay and Pension Commission-2009 has agreed in principle to a proposal allowing double pay packages for teachers, health workers, judicial officers and police personnel so that public institutions could attract, retain and motivate the best professionals available.
  

• Multi-purpose workers dwindling in numbers in District - The Times of India
  After facing shortage of doctors in hospitals in the district, the region is witnessing acute shortage of basic health workers , now termed as multi-purpose workers (MPWs), who form the backbone of health care delivery system in rural areas.
  

• Bachelor of Nursing contribution to Māori health - Scoop.co.nz, N. Zealand
  Whitireia Community Polytechnic will become one of only two providers of a nursing programme for Māori in the country and already offers a Bachelor of Nursing and a Bachelor of Nursing (Pacific).
  

• Dr Shibasaki: Emerging health leader - Torres News, Australia
  Dr Shibasaki represented a new generation of Indigenous health professionals whose work is playing a critical role in closing the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples, and other Australians.
  
  

NORTH AMERICA

• NY Offers Incentives For Nursing Careers - North Country Gazette, NY
  According to the Center for Health Workforce Studies, New York has substantially fewer registered nurses per capita than the national average.
  

• Health care workers keep wage - San Mateo Journal, CA
  In the wake of a federal injunction preventing the state from slashing in-home health care worker salaries, San Mateo County leaders also plan not to slash their contribution for one year.
  

• Trying to Hook Youth Early on Health-Care Careers - Kitsap Sun, WA
  At nurse camp, the two joined about 100 teenagers from South Puget Sound making the rounds for four days at Tacoma General Hospital, learning about the role nurses play in various parts of the medical system.
  

• Louisiana to Benefit from Loan Repayment Plan for Healthcare Workers - Nurse.com, VA
  Government plans to expand investments in pay incentives for doctors and other healthcare professionals to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas.
  

• Shortage of Hispanic MDs in Calif. Exacerbates Health Issues - Hispanic Business.com, CA
  Although Hispanics make up a third of California's population, they constitute just 5 percent of the state's pool of physicians, according to a 2008 study by the Center for California Health Workforce Studies.
  

• Nurses Back Democrats’ Proposed Government-Run Health Care Plan - CNS News, VA
  President Barack Obama on Wednesday added nurses to the list of lobby groups supporting a national health care overhaul..
  

• Feds place restrictions on Alaska health program - Daily News Miner, AK
  The cost dropped, but a backlog developed because a nursing shortage has left roughly 40 percent of the positions unfilled.
  

• Study: Minorities would benefit from health care reform - New Jersey Newsroom, NJ
  The House health reform bill would strengthen and expand programs promoting health workforce diversity, identify key health and health care disparities...
  

• The changing face of nursing care - London Free Press, Canada
  York University and the University Health Network are teaming up to create a joint nursing academy that will focus on advancing the knowledge and practice of nursing.
  
  

EUROPE

• Reinventing primary health care: the need for systems integration - The Lancet, UK
  This is the time to launch a renewed effort to strengthen health systems as the fundamental strategy for integrating primary health care.
  

• £6m health boost in Coventry - Coventry Telegraph, UK
  HEALTH bosses in Coventry are set to splash £6 million on improving medical care in the community.
  

• Initiative aims to train more midwives - ReliefWeb.ch
  In an effort to combat high maternal mortality and fistula rates, Southern Sudan launched an initiative from 13 to 15 May to address problems related to unskilled birth attendance.
  

• Saúde: ARS Alentejo espera contratar até Agosto médicos da América Latina para "colmatar carências" - Expresso, Portugal
  ARS pretende contratar, até ao início do próximo mês, médicos da América Latina para colmatar a "grande carência" de clínicos em alguns concelhos da região.
  

• European auditors question the value of EU funded public health programmes - British Medical Journal, UK
  The beneficial impact of the European Union’s increasing involvement in public health programmes has been challenged by the authority that audits the EU’s annual accounts.
  

• Doctors asked to brush up on NHS finances to help drive efficiency - British Medical Journal, UK
  Hospital doctors must learn the basics of NHS finance to help increase efficiency and improve outcomes for patients, according to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Audit Commission.
  

• Les étudiants cadres infirmiers d’Uruguay se battent pour maintenir le niveau de leur diplôme - EspaceInfirmier.com, France
  Dans un contexte de pénurie d’infirmières en Uruguay, l’Université de Montevideo prétend augmenter le nombre d’étudiants en sciences infirmières.
  

• Des médecins en intérim au service des urgences d'Orléans - La République du Centre, France
  Le centre hospitalier régional d'Orléans manque d'une dizaine d'urgentistes et recourt à des médecins intérimaires pour compléter ses équipes. Une solution onéreuse, due à la pénurie de praticiens..
  

• Empleados del hospital del Tajo denuncian al juez la falta de personal - El Pais, Spain
  Si se produce una urgencia, el resto de pacientes van a quedar desatendidos. Es el pronóstico que hace un grupo de trabajadores de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) del hospital del Tajo.
  

• Intentaremos dar cita en atención primaria en 24 horas - Diario de Mallorca, Spain
  Lo oportuno es encontrar el equilibrio para que las zonas de ocio desarrollen su actividad y la gente pueda descansar.
  
  

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

• Proponen doctorado en prácticas de enfermería para suplir falta profesionales - Terra.com, Mexico
  La falta de maestros calificados para preparar profesionales en asistencia médica ha llevado al sistema de universidades estatales de California.
  

• Centros de salud piden médicos y enfermeras - ElSalvador.com
  El Hospital de San Bartolo, en Ilopango, contaba sólo con un pediatra, un médico residente, dos internos y muchos niños en estado delicado.
  

• MP quer explicações da Perícia Médica sobre elevado número licenças que afastam professores da sala de aula - JC Online, Brazil
  De abril a junho deste ano foram concedidos 400 afastamentos.
  

• Tucano alerta falta de médicos no CE - Diário do Nordeste, Brazil
  Parlamentar do PSDB ressaltou, no plenário, que há um médico para cada 2.500 habitantes, no interior do Ceará.
  
  

News from WHO and partners

• Health workforce retention in remote and rural areas: call for papers for WHO Bulletin special theme issue - WHO Bulletin
  Although approximately one half of the global population lives in rural areas, these people are served by only 38% of the total nursing workforce and by less than a quarter of the total physicians’ workforce.
  

• Finding Ways to Deliver for Women where Doctors are in Short Supply - UNFPA
  Across most of sub-Saharan Africa, there are fewer than five doctors for every 100,000 people.
  

• Resource Spotlight: Health Worker Salaries and Benefits: Lessons from Bolivia, Peru and Chile - Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on HRH
  Many countries are met with obstacles to improving their health systems due to the problems regarding their health workers.
  

• Burnout and use of HIV services among health care workers in Lusaka District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study - Human Resources for Health Journal
  Well-documented shortages of health care workers in sub-Saharan Africa are exacerbated by the increased human resource demands of rapidly expanding HIV care and treatment programmes.
  

• The role of pharmacists in developing countries: the current scenario in Pakistan - Human Resources for Health Journal
  In contrast to the situation in developed countries, pharmacists in developing countries are still underutilized and their role as health care professionals is not deemed important by either the community or other health care providers.
  

• World’s Progress on Maternal Health and Family Planning is Insufficient - World Bank
  Regular doctor visits, sonograms and various tests constitute routine prenatal care for pregnant women in developed countries.
  

• Cost of new HIV medicines must be reduced - DFID, UK
  The price of new HIV medicines for the world’s poorest need to be reduced urgently according to a report by MPs published today.
  

• G8 leaders commend achievements on TB and TB/HIV, but call for more commitment - Stop TB Partnership
  The leaders of the G8 Summit pledged to implement further efforts towards universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.
  

• Nurses Survey: Patients Pay the Price for Insufficient Staff, High Workloads - ICN
  Nurses believe that heavy workloads and insufficient staff are impacting patient care and health outcomes around the world.
  

• Positive Practice Environments for Health Care Quality Workplaces for Quality Care - ICN
  Uganda, Zambia and Morocco have been announced as the sites for new projects established under the Positive Practice Environments Campaign.