During the past few months I have followed several national and global conferences and events. One that caught my interest was the Fourth Global Forum on Human Resources for Health held in Dublin in November 2017. Although I could not attend in person, I did enjoy the live streaming of sessions and the social media interaction on the theme – Building the Health Workforce of the Future. The forum concluded with the Dublin Declaration on Human Resources for Health and a Youth Call for Action.
As an observer from afar it was interesting to listen to some of the plenary sessions and to learn about organizations collaborating on this strategic agenda including the Global Health Workforce Network. There is an increasing recognition of the benefits of investing in a well-educated, supported health workforce, both in terms of a nation’s economic growth and health system development.
The Youth Call for Action is noteworthy because it marked the first time that students and young health professionals have met in an organized Youth Forum attached to the Human Resources for Health Forum. Key messages from their participation in the forum include:
- Youth are an essential agent of change in the world;
- Youth are an asset for achieving the 2030 agenda on sustainable development;
- A need for country-level action on decent jobs for youth in health and social sectors;
- Create opportunities for youth to participate in global meetings; and
- Call upon the World Health Organization to establish a WHO Hub on Youth within the Global Health Workforce Network.
The president of the International Council of Nurses, Annette Kennedy, was a speaker at the closing plenary. She pledged support from ICN for implementing the Dublin Declaration and welcomed the “collective political commitment demonstrated at the Forum.” She highlighted ICN initiatives to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage – see the November 21, 2017 media release from ICN for details.
Posted by Nora Whyte – December 11, 2017.