Figure 2. Background, scope, potential and challenges for the work of health professionals and recommendations of the Report of the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth – working for health and growth.
| Report of the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth-working for Health and Growth |
|---|
| Commission established by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in March 2016. Its task was to make recommendations to stimulate and guide the creation of at least 40 million new jobs in the health and social sectors and to reduce the lack of 18 million workers, especially in low and middle-income countries, by 2030. The results of this work reflect the partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and WHO. |
| The Commission qualified the launch of its report as a unique opportunity to advance in the political commitment to achieve the SDG*, particularly SDG 1 (poverty elimination), 3 (health and welfare), 4 (quality education), 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work and economic growth), through investments in the local and global health workforce. |
| Acknowledgement of the health sector as a key economic sector and employment generator. Between 2000 and 2014, employment in health and social work grew by 48%, while jobs in the industry and agriculture dropped. The demand for health services is expected to grow, creating millions of new jobs. Economic development depends on healthy populations. Around a quarter of growth in low and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2011 resulted from improvements in health; the estimated return on investments in health is 9 to 1; one extra year in life expectancy raises GDP per capita by about 4%. In countries with a high fertility rate, bringing down the child mortality rate can positively influence family planning decisions, contributing to a faster demographic transition, associated with economic benefits called demographic dividends. Investments in health systems have multiplier effects that strengthen inclusive economic growth, also through decent jobs. Strategic investments in health systems are fundamental, including in the health workforce and in the promotion of economic growth, via cohesion and social protection, innovation and health security. |
| The population is growing and the world faces a decrease in the number of health workers. The lack of skilled workers constrains job creation in the sector. Investments in health education/training are needed to promote more inclusive economic growth. |
| 1. Job creation – stimulate
investments in creating decent jobs in the health sector, especially
for women and young people, with the necessary skills, in the right
numbers and places. The Commission calls for urgent actions to
develop job market policies to foster the demand for a sustainable
health workforce. Government policies need to address systemic
issues that result in recurring losses in the health job
market. 2. Gender equality rights – maximize women’s economic participation, institutionalizing their leadership and addressing gender biases and inequalities in education and work. Women are the main care providers, including in humanitarian crises and conflicts. Hence, the health sector is an increasing employer for women and can contribute to gender equality. Gender inequalities, physical and sexual violence and harassment remain important challenges for health workers. 3. Education, training and skills – value high-quality, transformative education and continuing learning so that health workers have skills to face people’s health needs and work to their full potential. In that sense, countries can prioritize investments in education, focusing on building locally relevant competencies. Addressing geographical inequities is a priority, and demographic transitions present opportunities to strengthen youth education for health jobs. 4. Health service delivery and organization – Reform health service models concentrated on hospitals and focus on prevention and efficient delivery of high-quality, integrated, community-based and people-centered primary care, paying special attention to vulnerable areas. 5. Technology – explore the power of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that strengthen health education, people-centered health services and health information systems. The rapid technological changes are changing the nature of health services and new health professionals emerge with skills to handle the ICT. Digital technologies also provide opportunities to improve people’s access to health services and health systems’ response to the needs of individuals and communities. 6. Humanitarian crises – ensure investments in key international health regulations, including the skills development of health workers in humanitarian crisis and public health emergency situations, aiming to ensure the protection and security of health workers in different settings. Countries should build the capacity of their health workforce and health systems to detect and respond to public health risks and emergencies. In conflict settings, public health crises exacerbate the difficulties for offering basic care. 7. Financing and fiscal resources – raise adequate national and international funding from public and private sources and consider the funding of health reforms through investments in appropriate skills and decent working conditions. Societal dialogue and political commitment are crucial to drive appropriate macroeconomic reforms and health funding policies. 8. Partnership and cooperation – promote intersectoral collaboration at the national, regional and international levels, through the engagement of civil society, unions and other organizations of health workers and the private sector. Align international cooperation to support investments in the health workforce. 9. International migration – advance the international recognition of health professionals’ qualifications to optimize their skills use, increasing the benefits from and reducing the negative effects of health workers’ migration, safeguarding migrants’ rights. 10. Reliable evidence – undertake robust research on the health markets, using reliable methodologies to strengthen the evidence, reliability of the data and resulting actions. |
*
SDG = Sustainable development goals