Warm greetings to all and my sincere appreciation to ET-Edge, an Economic Times initiative, for convening this event, which every year is getting bigger and bolder – and rightly so.
Health workers are the backbone of health systems. They are the foundation on which the WHO South-East Asia Region’s Flagship Priorities on achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and strengthening emergency risk management rest.
To all health workers, my message today is of deep, heartfelt gratitude: Thank you.
For more than 18 months, you have worked day and night on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response.
Your heroism, commitment and duty are legendary. You have saved countless lives in a pandemic that has thus far killed more than 3.9 million people globally, including more than 485 000 in the South-East Asia Region, and more than 396 000 in India.
Globally, at least 115 000 health workers are estimated to have been killed by the disease.
Based on Indian Medical Association estimates, more than 1490 doctors in India have lost their life responding to the pandemic. This is in addition to the nurses, laboratory technicians and other health workers who have paid the ultimate price.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, health workers in India and across the world have faced the unconscionable threat of stigma and violence.
In this International Year of Health and Care Workers, we must redouble our efforts to protect those who protect us, for which I appreciate India’s commitment, reflected in the adoption in April 2020 of the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance.
India has now vaccinated more than 87% of health workers with at least one dose. More than 61% have received both doses and are fully vaccinated.
WHO will continue to provide technical and operational support to vaccine roll-outs in India and across the Region, which must continue to prioritize health workers.
Ensuring health workers have adequate access to personal protective equipment (PPE) remains a critical, ongoing focus. WHO has thus far procured and delivered around 16 million units of PPE to frontline health workers across the Region, and will continue to mobilize more.
Throughout the COVID-19 response, but also beyond it, India has a wealth of opportunities to enhance health workforce strengthening and increase health system resilience, for which I commend the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s bold commitment to “repair and prepare” health infrastructure.
Today, I have three messages, which in all countries of the Region, can help strengthen the COVID-19 response, and also build health system resilience to achieve UHC – the Flagship Priority and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target that is at the heart of all we do.
First, invest in health workforce strengthening. For every dollar spent on health, the return on investment averages nine to one.
In low- and middle-income countries, that return can more than double, and will also accelerate progress on other SDG targets, such as decent employment and gender equality.
In addition to increasing the number and quality of health workers, investments must be targeted at improving health workforce distribution, which is essential to expand health system coverage and also maintain essential health services when outbreaks and other acute events occur.
Second, protect the occupational health and safety (OHS) of health workers and emergency responders, and respect their rights to decent working conditions. Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen health workers go above and beyond the call of duty– a testament not only to their professionalism, but also their humanity.
But this must not be an expectation. In addition to increasing the risk of infection and other physical hazards, inadequate OHS is doing real harm to health workers’ mental health and may thin the ranks of active health workers and hinder future recruitment.
Systemic problems require systemic solutions, and I urge all policy makers and facility administrators to identify and mitigate hazards, and to champion their most valuable resource: their staff.
Third, embrace health workforce innovations that enhance health equity. For example, telemedicine has played a critical role in responding to the crisis, especially in maintaining essential health services, which continues to be a core focus in India and across the Region. It must continue to be applied and expanded to reach the unreached and underserved.
We have also seen how underutilized health worker cadres can be rapidly upskilled and deployed as part of a team-based approach to delivering quality care. Such innovations, if appropriately harnessed, could strengthen our hand in the battle against noncommunicable diseases, especially at the primary level, which is where that battle will be won.
Today, we are gathered to honour the courage and commitment that health workers have shown throughout the COVID-19 response, and which they continue to demonstrate.
In service of that goal, I urge you to continue to make every effort to mitigate SARS-CoV2 infection, and to inspire others to do the same.
Continue to act on the 3Ws – wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.
Continue to avoid the 3Cs – crowded places, close-contact settings, and confined and enclosed spaces.
Together, we must prepare for and prevent future waves, and do everything in our power to protect those who protect us.
I give my sincere thanks for the opportunity to address you today, and reiterate WHO’s ongoing solidarity and support to India, and to all health workers, everywhere.
Thank you.