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Snapshots from the Second Global Forum on Human Resources for Health Bangkok, Thailand 25-29 - January 2011

Reviewing progress, renewing commitments to health workers towards MDGs and beyond

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The Second Global Forum on Human Resources for Health brought together more than 1000 champions for the health workforce, under the banner theme of reviewing progress, renewing commitments to health workers towards MDGs and beyond. It provided the fi rst opportunity to share and celebrate progress since the First Global Forum in Kampala, Uganda in 2008.

The forum showcased the human face of those involved in the health workforce debate with the slogan ‘empowering health workers for health outcomes’ and provided a platform for all stakeholders to convene - health workers delivering health care on the frontlines, activists advocating for change and key political fi gures making critical decisions about the allocation of resources for health. The forum, jointly organized by the Global Health Workforce Alliance, the Prince Mahidol Award conference, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the World Health Organization also offered a unique venue to promote voices from crisis countries and highlight country success stories.

This leafl et highlights the diverse and unique strengths of the Alliance in catalysing the energy and resources of multiple stakeholders and giving a voice to all actors involved in improving health outcomes.

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Reviewing Progress, Renewing Commitment.

Progress report on the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global ActionFor further information, please contact:

Global Health Workforce AllianceWorld Health OrganizationAvenue Appia 20CH-1211 Geneva 27SwitzerlandTel: +41 22 791 26 21Fax: +41 22 791 48 41Email: ghwa@who.intWeb: www.who.int/workforcealliance

Launched in 2006, the Global Health Workforce Alliance is a partnership dedicated to identifying and coordinating solutions to the health workforce crisis. It brings together a variety of actors, including national governments, civil society, finance institutions, workers, international agencies, academic institutions and professional associations. The Alliance is hosted by the World Health Organization.

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Launch of fi rst progress report on the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action

A key event at the forum was the launch reception for the fi rst progress report on the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action (KD AGA). The report represents the fi rst attempt to track progress in implementing the KD AGA, and provides a snapshot of the human resources for health policy and governance situation in the priority countries affected by severe health workforce challenges.

The report focuses on how countries are doing in planning and coordinating their health workforce interventions, their efforts in relation to information systems, education and retention strategies, and investment decisions. The report also includes case stories submitted by countries and organizations that illustrate progress in implementing the AGA in the priority countries.

“The publication of this fi rst progress report on the Kampala Declaration and the Agenda for Global Action represents a new milestone in HRH.”

Dr. Mubashar Sheikh, Executive Director,

Global Health Workforce Alliance

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Under Nan ThanThan Oo’s care, no mother has died during or shortly after pregnancy.

She is proud of her “zero maternal mortality” achievement, in the villages under her jurisdiction on the Thai/Burmese border. Oo is one of the extraordinary women recognized by the Alliance for her remarkable work in saving lives and improving health in rural and hardship areas. Acknowledging the commitment and dedication of health

workers delivering frontline healthcare services, the Alliance for the fi rst time ever, presented two types of Award during a lively closing ceremony at the forum - Special Recognition Awards for Individuals and Awards for Excellence for country case stories on HRH improvements. Testimonies of health workers were heard alongside the views of senior heads of state and health experts, bringing a personal touch to the opening ceremony and sessions throughout the forum. The Alliance hopes to institutionalize these awards in the years to come.

“It was the personal and emotional anecdotes from the community-level health workers which particularly won the audience’s hearts.”

Forum delegate

Health workers saving lives - the Alliance Awards

“When I manage to save a mother’s life or a child’s life because of my actions, that’s when I’m most satisfi ed.”

Nan Than Tha Oo, Winner of the Special Recognition Award

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The ‘Marketplace’ exhibition provided an excellent opportunity to showcase posters of 86 country case stories and the 12 fi nalists for the individual health worker awards, featured in Forum delegates had the opportunity to meet health workers and learn more about their work in their communities. A Speakers’ Corner was also provided for authors of shortlisted case stories for the Awards for Excellence to present their work. In total, six Awards for Excellence were presented to the country case story fi nalists.

Honouring health workers and best practices at the‘Marketplace’ exhibition

Country Case story: Improving health services in remote areas of Indonesia

Winner of Alliance Award for Excellence

The programme addressed the shortage of health professionals in rural areas of Indonesia while also strengthening the long term supply, focusing on investment and retention strategies.

A survey conducted in 2006 highlighted the shortage of health workers in remote areas of the country. The government set out to address this by implementing short-term placement schemes using fi nancial and non-fi nancial incentives (increased pay and secure contracts) to encourage health professionals to serve in rural areas. The government also introduced fi nancial support for students in order to increase the longer term supply of trained health staff.

By August 2010, the Ministry of Health had sent more than 1000 health workers into remote health centres, including doctors, hospital staff, midwives and community health workers. This has improved the availability of health staff in 35 remote districts. In addition, over 2000 scholarships for medical studies have been awarded since 2008, which will increase the longer term supply of medical staff in remote areas.

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“The forum has convinced me that I, a single person, can make a difference. I learned to care about what’s going on in other countries, including the countries that I’ve never even heard before.”

Dessy Sagita, reporter for the Jakarta Globe, Indonesia

Novel scheme inspiring young journalists to report on health worker crisis

Dessy was one of the 10 young journalists from HRH crisis countries selected to participate in the Journalist Fellowship Programme and to report on the forum and issues affecting the delivery of healthcare in their own countries. Through print articles, radio broadcasts and social media posts, the young journalists localized the key HRH issues affecting them, and generated country-level public interest. With an opportunity to attend such a high-profi le international event and receive training, the journalists left the forum inspired to use their positions to strengthen their own health workforce and become valuable partners and advocates for the HRH cause in the coming years.

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Flo, a skilled health worker leaves her home in search of a better life. Imagine what happens to the people she leaves behind? What would help her stay in her own community, saving lives and improving the health of the people? The Forum was inaugurated with an Alliance commissioned animated fi lm “Imagine”, which highlighted some of the issues around health worker migration and retention. The animation was a run away success and was much appreciated for its simplicity and compelling message. It can be viewed and downloaded for distribution from the Alliance YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/ghwavideos.

Imagine this scenario …

“The forum opened with a wonderful video on health workers–the best piece in any medium I have ever seen in terms of communicating the essence of the health workforce crisis.”

Maurice Middleberg, Director, Capacity Plus

Convening...central to the Alliance strategy

As part of the Alliance’s on-going country work of convening national and multilateral players through a process called “CCF- Country Coordination and Facilitation”, a session was organised to address a range of issues, with a focus on the signifi cance of the multi-sectoral approach in addressing the health workforce crisis. The ultimate objective was to advocate and promote the CCF process to countries and partners. The session, presented by different stakeholders including ministers of health, attracted a large number of participants from HRH crisis countries, partner and donor organizations, who were interested to learn more about the benefi ts of the CCF process.

“Bringing all stakeholders to one table generates strong ownership, maintains transparency, and builds synergistic relationships.”

CCF country poster Nepal

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The Alliance and WHO also seized the opportunity to bring together key strategic partners to share and reinforce their plans for moving the global human resource for health agenda forward in the next 3 years. Participants reaffi rmed the importance of having sustainable country capacity for health system strengthening, health policy development, advocacy and implementation–closely linked to the community.

The forum provided a unique occasion for the members of the Alliance to come together. Two sessions were organized to enable members to take ownership of the event’s proceedings; strengthen networks for closer collaboration, and allow them to play a proactive and synergistic role in implementing the agenda and outcomes emerging from the forum. The sessions were very well received and attended, with members valuing the opportunity to engage and be consulted on the development and implementation of Alliance strategies and approaches.

“As allies, we must all work together to take the HRH agenda forward…This forum was a great opportunity for those who are motivated in addressing the issue to meet like-minded individuals and form strong links together.”

Fiona Campbell, Merlin (Alliance member)

Creating opportunities for meaningful engagement of Alliance members

High-level Round Table

“All countries’ experiences and results as well as International initiatives presented showed the efforts and achievements of the Global Health Workforce Alliance serving as a catalyst for an effective response to the heath workforce crisis at global, regional and country level.”

Denis Salord, European Commission.

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Participants at the forum adopted the Outcome Statement which reiterates the principles of the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action, as well as the WHO Code of Practice, as instruments for alignment and accountability at global, regional, national and local levels, and calls upon all stakeholders to accelerate implementation in a comprehensive manner.

The task now is to take the momentum from Bangkok out into the wider world: to move together, from commitment into action, to translate resolution into results, and ensure that every person, whoever they are and wherever they live, has access to a health worker.

“Everyone - whoever they are, and wherever they live - is entitled to access to a skilled, and motivated health worker. The outcome statement of the forum provides a platform for various parties to move forward, to promise and remain committed to the global health workforce.”

Dr Masato Mugitani, Chair of the Alliance

Forum Outcome statement - renewing commitment to the health workforce

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World Health OrganizationAvenue Appia 201121 Geneva 27SwitzerlandTel: + 41.22.791.2621Fax: + 41.22.791.4841E-mail: ghwa@who.intWeb: www.who.int/workforcealliance

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