10th Annual World Health Worker Week is being celebrated April 4 - 8, 2022. This observance during the week aims to support, acknowledge and raise awareness about the crucial role of health worker in health care system worldwide. It is a time to celebrate the amazing work that they do and it is a time to raise awareness of the challenges that they face every day.
The theme of WHW Week is Build the Health Workforce Back Better.
Progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) needs strong health system and health workers who are educated and empowered to provide the full range of essential health services efficiently. Primary health care is the cornerstone of UHC and a health workforce with the education, support and supervision can provide quality, people-centred, integrated health services.
To make health workers more competent, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Competency and Outcomes Framework towards Universal Health Coverage. The Framework, supports the education and training of healthcare workers to improve access to high quality, safe and affordable care which is aligned with population health needs and health system demands.
Reiterating the commitment under National Health Policy 2017, with the inception of Ayushman Bharat Programme (its two pillars- creation of 1.5 lac Health and Wellness Centres and Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana), India is progressing to achieve UHC. Ayushman Bharat has triggered the need for even more human resources for health (HRH). The government is doing several efforts to address the shortage and quality of HRH in the country as mentioned in the Strategy for New India @75.
References-
https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/04/04/default-calendar/whww2022_education
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/global-competency-and-outcomes-framework-UHC
https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2019-01/Strategy_for_New_India_2.pdf
