"Support Nurses and Midwives'', World Health Day 2020

 The Theme of the World Health Day 2020 was dedicated to "Support Nurses and Midwives''. The United General Assembly also declared  2020 as International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. 

During the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, the World Health Day will highlight the current status of nursing and around the world. The World Heath Organization and its partners will make a series of recommendations to strengthen of the nursing and midwifery workforce.

Join us in celebrating nurses and midwives!

CAMPAIGN: Thanks Health Heroes''

Statement from Dr Tedros, WHO Director-General on the occasion of World Health Day, 7th of April 2020.

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, wherever you are.

Today is WHO’s birthday. It was on the 7th of April 1948 that WHO came into being.

It’s a day we mark every year as World Health Day.

Today and throughout 2020, we’re highlighting the vital role of nurses and midwives, as part of the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

It may not seem that there are many reasons for celebration.

The world is in the grip of the most severe health crisis of our time.

The COVID-19 pandemic is reminding us of the vital role nurses and midwives play.

Every day, nurses are putting themselves at risk to alleviate suffering and save lives.

They’re reorganizing wards to open more beds for COVID-19 patients, while continuing to provide care for other patients with urgent health needs, including women in labour.

They’re taking stock of equipment and lending it across units.

They’re learning on the job with information that changes daily – even hourly.

And nurses are doing the unthinkable. Because critical COVID patients are isolated, the last human touch they may feel is that of a nurse’s hand.

The kindness of caring strangers has never been more important.

I hear stories about nurses video-calling family members late in the night, so they can say goodbye to a dying relative.

Because health workers are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, they’re also among the most at risk.

More than 3 000 health workers have been infected, and many have paid the ultimate price.

When health workers are exposed or become sick, they have to go home and stay there for at least two weeks. Hospitals scramble to find replacements.

That’s why we must ensure that health workers have the medical masks and other personal protective equipment they need.

Meanwhile, babies are still being born. Midwives are still trying to provide care to make pregnancy and childbirth the safe and joyful experience it should be.

Midwives are doing their best to stay in touch with their clients by phone and screen. But not all women have phones. They worry for those they can’t reach.

Today is a day to celebrate nurses and midwives, to thank them for everything they do, and to commit ourselves to doing everything we can to support and protect them.

One of the lessons I hope the world learns from COVID-19 is that we must invest in nurses and midwives.

Today I’m proud to launch a new report by WHO, Nursing Now and the International Council of Nurses on the State of the World’s Nursing.

The report shows that 80 percent of the world’s nurses work in countries making up just half of the world’s population.

Although the number of nurses globally increased by 4.7 million between 2013 and 2018, the world is facing a global shortfall of 5.9 million nurses, especially in Africa, South East Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean and some parts of Latin America.

We’re calling on countries with shortages of nurses to increase the number of nurses they graduate by an average of 8 percent each year, and to implement measures to improve the employment and retention of nurses in the health system.

We are committed to working with all countries to ensure that nurses and midwives receive the training they need, the recognition they deserve, and decent conditions and salaries for their work.

To every nurse and midwife, I say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

You have our deep admiration, respect and gratitude.

Dr, Tedros, WHO Director-General.

CALL TO ACTIONS.

General public

1. Show nurses and midwives your appreciation for their work and thank them for what they do to keep us healthy.
2. Call on local leaders to do more to support nurses and midwives and make investments that enable them to work to their full potential

Policy makers

1. Invest in nursing and midwifery education and employment so universal health coverage becomes a reality everywhere.
2. Strengthen and pay more attention to nursing and midwifery influence and leadership: health services will improve as a result
3. Take steps to improve gathering of workforce data in order to better target resources and make changes where they are needed most

Policy makers

1. Show your respect for nurses, midwives and other fellow health workers.
2. Listen to their views and explore their ideas.
3. Engage nurses and midwives in decision making.

PUBLICATIONS:

Health 2020 is the new European health policy framework. It aims to support action across government and society to: “significantly improve the health and well-being of populations, reduce health inequalities, strengthen public health and ensure people-centred health systems that are universal, equitable, sustainable and of high quality”.

The policy framework is evidence-based and peer-reviewed. It makes the case for investment in health and creating societies where health is valued. It details the ways that good health benefits all in society. Good health is vital for economic and social development and supports economic recovery.

It gives policy-makers a vision, a strategic path, a set of priorities and a range of suggestions about what works to improve health, address health inequalities, and ensure the health of future generations. It identifies strategies for action that are adaptable to the many contextual realities of the WHO European Region.

Health 2020 is the product of an extensive two-year consultation process across the Region and beyond, and was adopted by the 53 Member States of the Region during the sixty-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in September 2012.

WEBINARS: Take a Minutes to say thank you!

On the occasion of World Health Day 2020, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros joined with Chief Nurse Elizabeth Iro as well as nurses and midwives from around the world. The show was broadcast live on the 7th of April 2020. Nurses and midwives play a vital role in providing health services. These are the people who devote their lives to caring for mothers and children; giving lifesaving immunizations and health advice; looking after older people and generally meeting everyday essential health needs. They are often, the first and only point of care in their communities. The world needs 9 million more nurses and midwives if it is to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. That’s why the World Health Assembly has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. Join WHO and partners including, the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), International Council of Nurses (ICN), Nursing Now and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in a year-long effort to celebrate the work of nurses and midwives, highlight the challenging conditions they often face, and advocate for increased investments in the nursing and midwifery workforce.

The second webinar looks at the COVID-19 pandemic which underscores the urgent need to strengthen the global health workforce. A new report, The State of the World’s Nursing 2020, provides an in-depth look at the largest component of the health workforce. Findings identify important gaps in the nursing workforce and priority areas for investment in nursing education, jobs, and leadership to strengthen nursing around the world and improve health for all. Nurses account for more than half of all the world’s health workers, providing vital services throughout the health system. Historically, as well as today, nurses are at the forefront of fighting epidemics and pandemics that threaten health across the globe. Around the world they are demonstrating their compassion, bravery and courage as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic: never before has their value been more clearly demonstrated. ‘Nurses are the backbone of any health system. Today, many nurses find themselves on the frontline in the battle against Covid-19,’ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General. ‘This report is a stark reminder of the unique role they play, and a wakeup call to ensure they get the support they need to keep the world healthy.’