Advocating for the Health Worker
1University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Baltimore, MD, US.
Annals of Global Health
|February 12, 2019
Summary
Health workers face significant risks, including from HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB), due to hazardous work environments. Protecting healthcare workers is crucial for sustainable health systems and is an ethical imperative.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Occupational Health
- Health Workforce Studies
Background:
- Health workers globally face occupational hazards in diverse settings.
- Preventable harm, including from HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB), has long affected healthcare professionals, exacerbated by events like the 2014 Ebola outbreak.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze how development and public health agencies assess the health sector workforce.
- To examine threats to health workers' well-being and discuss protective measures.
Main Methods:
- Review of agency reports on health workforce sustainability and risks.
- Focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) pre- and post-2014 Ebola outbreak.
Main Results:
- Past workforce reviews prioritized competency, numbers, and productivity.
- Insufficient attention has been paid to hazardous working conditions leading to illness, death, and migration.
Conclusions:
- Global initiatives like the World Health Assembly campaign offer potential for worker protections.
- Protecting health worker safety and livelihoods requires dedicated resources and commitment, essential for fragile health systems and ethical practice.
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