Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly Strategic Roundtable
This roundtable builds on the 5th Global Forum on Human Resources for Health held, in April 2023, and on WHA consensus (A75.17 (2022), A74.14, A74.15 (2021)). It provides an action-oriented agenda to protect and invest in the health and care workforce in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In the first half of the SDGs, the world experienced major disruptions due to COVID-19, other public health emergencies of international concern, protracted conflicts and a global increase in climate-related and humanitarian disasters. Health and care workers have remained at the forefront of local and national responses. In the early part of the pandemic, many became infected, and thousands lost their lives. The prevalence of anxiety, stress and burnout among health and care workers is alarming.
This situation adds to long-standing systemic challenges. The global health workforce shortage is declining significantly: from 18 million in 2013 to 15 million in 2020 and is projected at 10 million by 2030. This masks profound regional disparities. The situation calls for collective action, in support of SDG progress.
The session takes place in UN Palais de Nations, Room XVIII on Tuesday 23 May 2023 between 13:00–14:15 CEST.
Moderator
Sir David Behan, Non-Executive Director, NHS, United Kingdom
Panelists
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
Prof Ihsane Ben Yahya, President, FDI World Dental Federation / World Health Professions Alliance
Dr Alexandru Rafila, Minister of Health, Romania
Dr Lino Tom, Minister of Health, Papua New Guinea
H.E. Minata Samate Oessuma, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, AU
Ms Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF
Dr Juan Pablo Uribe, Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population, World Bank / formerly Minister of Health, Colombia
Prof. Senait Fisseha, Vice President, Global Programs, Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia