IAS Members Working Together for a Stronger Health Workforce IAS General Members and Policy Meeting Sydney, 24 th July 2007

Strategic Objectives ‘Stronger Together’ : Facilitate policy development that will enhance HIV/AIDS research and service delivery, and to advance such policy through strong and effective advocacy. Objectives of IAS Policy Advocacy  Promote Evidence for an effective response  Influence Policy development  Challenge Accountability and  Lesson Learning

Why? The Health Workforce Crisis is Critical for the IAS Critical Shortage -  4.3 m. worldwide & 1 m. for Africa  Production capacity  Resources for HCW education Death from HIV -  Leading cause of attrition of HCW  ARV treatment access for HCW  Stigma undermining scale up Direct Impact on Membership - Health Worker3879 Research2165 Policy/Advocacy1577 Others3754 Increased Expectations -  Scale up to Universal Access  Global Health Initiatives (MDGs) - Global Stop TB Plan - Roll Back Malaria - Maternal and Child Health

The Face of the Global Health Workforce Crisis - Countries with a critical shortage of health service providers (doctors, nurses and midwives) Source: World Health Report 2006 – Working Together for Heath

Global Crisis: Foreign Trained Doctors in Selected OECD Countries -

Global Crisis: Vacancies in Public Health Facilities in Malawi - Health Care WorkerPosts EHPPosts filled% vacancies Medical Doctors % Clinical Officers1,4051,03326% Nurses8,4403,41660% Medical Assistants % Pharmacy technician % Med Lab technician % Health Surveillance/Asst.11,0004,66458% Source: Ministry of Health - Planning Department, June 2006

What Key Factors Drive the Global Health Workforce Crisis?  Absolute shortages; inadequate salaries and poor working conditions lead to ‘brain drain’,  Unequal distribution – Urban/Rural; Private/Public,  Crushing Workloads; National policy and regulatory barriers to ‘Task Shifting’,  Lack of adequate investment, long-term national and international resources to address crisis,  Macro-economic concerns and limits on spending from international finance institutions,

Mapping the International Response: Policy and Action  National Action – HRH Development Plans  Global Health Workforce Alliance  WHO  Treat, Train and Retain (US$ 7 billion needed)  Task Shifting  Human Resource Observatories  Funding (Donor) Strategies  G8 Commitments  EU Strategy for Action  GFATM  Civil Society Advocacy

Discussion Points  How: IAS can add value to regional and international policy advocacy efforts on expanding and sustaining a health workforce able to meet demands of scaling up to Universal Access to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services?  What: Key areas / themes to focus action? ( )  What: Major activities for Mexico 2008?  What: Key Partnerships and opportunities for Collaboration?  How: Engaging Members as Advocates?

Some ideas for IAS:  Better use of existing tools (Website, e-JIAS, ILF)  IAC and IAS conferences as permanent forums for advocacy and debates adressing HCW crisis  Promoting debates at the Regional Conferences  Organizing the International HCW day  To promote “The White book” on HCW crisis  To liaise with WHO and UNAIDS  To liaise with professional HCW organizations at global, regional and national levels  To develop a lobbying program aimed to political leaders and donors from the OECD countries  To expand our educational efforts  ………………

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