World Health Day 2006 Celebrates Health Workers

Washington, D.C., April 7, 2006 (PAHO)—World Health Day is being observed today with the release of a new comprehensive study of the global health workforce, The World Health Report 2006, which points to a severe shortage of health workers in 57 countries.

In Washington, the Pan American Health Organization launched World Health Day with a call by PAHO Director Dr. Mirta Roses to celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of health workers and to work to solve human resource problems in the health systems of the Americas.

Dr. John Agwunobi, Assistant Secretary for Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, praised the millions of health workers, often volunteers, who have contributed to save lives in their communities.

"For the average person on this planet, health is often not an entitlement," he said. "But health workers are saving lives every day all over the world, whether they boil a bucket of water, lovingly wash a newborn baby, ride a bicycle 10 miles to administer a precious vaccine, or educate 20 women in a remote village" Dr. Agwunobi said.

Four community organizations received World Health Day awards at the PAHO ceremony. La Clínica del Pueblo, which serves Latinos in the Adams Morgan neighbourhood of Washington, D.C., was recognized for its activities. The Whitman-Walker Clinic of Washington was given an award for its model of care for people living with HIV/AIDS. The Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker program of West Virginia received an award for its perinatal home visitation program that focuses on mothers and children at risk, and a generic award for Midwives and traditional community health workers was accepted on their behalf by Dr. Linda Janet Holmes of the New Jersey Department of Health.

Today's observance is the culmination of a series of events at PAHO this week, focusing on the role of human resources in health, prospects for public health workforce development, health and safety of health care workers, and systems approaches to the human resource crisis.

The World Health Report issued today noted that the shortage of health workers is impairing provision of essential, life-saving interventions such as childhood immunization, safe pregnancy and delivery services for mothers, and access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. More than four million additional doctors, nurses, midwives, managers and public health workers are urgently needed to fill the gap in these 57 countries, 36 of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. This shortage, combined with a lack of training and knowledge, is also a major obstacle for health systems as they attempt to effectively respond to chronic diseases, avian influenza and other health challenges, the report found.

World Health Day aims to draw the world's attention to the urgency of this crisis, while recognizing the dedication and achievements of health workers everywhere, and WHO Regional Offices and local partners will celebrate World Health Day 2006 in activities around the globe.

World Health Day Media Contacts

For information related to the World Health Report, please contact: , Editor, WHO, Geneva, +41 22 791 4224.

For more information on World Health Day please visit PAHO's Special WHD2006 Page, or go to www.who.int/world-health-day/2005/en