Scaling-up the Community-Based Health Workforce for Emergencies

Overview

This Joint Statement was developed by the Global Health Workforce Alliance together with the WHO, IFRC, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO. It aims at drawing attention to the vital role played by CHWs in emergency risk management; promoting the scale-up, training and involvement of CHWs; and reinforcing the community-based health workforce.

The Joint Statement covers the following areas:

• Community-based actions are critical in managing emergencies;
• Many different groups make up the community-based health workforce;
• The community-based health workforce contributes to healthier, safer and more resilient communities;
• The critical contribution of the workforce is not routinely recognized;
• Existing health systems need to be well prepared for emergencies;
• Health systems should reinforce PHC to be better prepared for emergencies; and
• What countries and partners can do.

In addition, the Joint Statement provides a range of concrete country examples of 'Community-based health workforce in action".

The Joint Statement is supported by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), International Medical Corps (IMC), UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Merlin and Save the Children.