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This Is a Big Moment for Health Workforce Advocacy and Policy Change

Photo by Zoya Shehadeh for URC/the USAID Jordan Health Service Quality Accelerator Activity.


Here are some of the wins and opportunities the Frontline Health Workers Coalition is tracking.


Right now could be a turning point for health workforce advocacy to increase support and protection for health workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries, as they continue responding to the pandemic and providing access to essential health services.

In the last weeks, the US and the African Union announced new global and regional health workforce initiatives. Advocates, health workers, and policymakers around the globe participated in World Health Worker Week and joined our call for policymakers to take urgent actions to build the health workforce back better. The World Health Organization (WHO) and others released new health workforce data and policy documents. And just last week, the US Senate confirmed a major health worker champion to lead PEPFAR.

As we prepare for the Second Global COVID-19 Summit (watch it at 9 a.m. ET here) on May 12 and the 75th World Health Assembly later this month, here are key moments we can build on to secure policy change health workers need:

  • The White House shared its plans for a global health workforce initiative

  • The USAID lead on the Global Health Security Agenda said there’s no health security without health workers

  • CHWs raised their voices

  • Women in global health called out women’s unpaid work

  • The African Union announced its health workforce initiative

  • US policymakers spoke up for health workers

Read the full post from the Frontline Health Workers Coalition.