WHA77 Side Event—NCDs and Workforce Dynamics: Empowering Tomorrow's Health Workforce
Date and time: 28 May 2024, 19.00-21.00
Location: Restaurant Café Les Z’Arts, Rue Michelle Nicod 2, 1202 Geneva
Keynote speakers:
- Jim Campbell: Director, Health Workforce, WHO
- Bente Mikkelsen: Director, Noncommunicable diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, WHO
WHPA was delighted to welcome two high-level speakers from the World Health Organization to its side event, held on 28 May 2024 during the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The evening was part of the growing partnership between WHPA and WHO and the operationalization of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022. Both parties look forward to continued collaboration.
In his presentation, Jim Campbell, Director of WHO's Health Workforce Department, emphasized how models of healthcare delivery would have to change to respond to the growing NCD crisis with more priority given to prevention and health promotion. It would also require good teamwork between the professions and the right distribution of tasks. He suggested that more flexible approaches to licensing and regulation, as experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, could also be part of the solution. Most of all, investment in the health workforce and education was essential to make these things happen.
Bente Mikkelsen is Director of WHO’s department for Noncommunicable diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability. She highlighted how essential the support of the health workforce is in tackling NCDs and how a well-educated and well-staffed workforce could save millions of lives at risk from conditions like hypertension which often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. She also stressed the cross-professional and long-term nature of NCDs: consequently they cannot be treated in silos and require collaboration between professions. Redesigning health care to better respond to NCDs may involve more digital healthcare, and delivering health care in places outside of the health system, as trialed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“But the only way to really transform health systems is through co-creation with the health workforce”, she concluded, inviting participants to contribute their opinion on the key priorities needed to tackle NCDs in WHO’s online consultation leading up to the High-Level Meeting on NCDs at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 (deadline: 17 June).
The event was expertly moderated by WMA Secretary General Otmar Kloiber. WHPA Chair and CEO of FIP Catherine Duggan introduced the WHPA, while Howard Catton, CEO of ICN, presented WHPA’s new strategy, which was launched at a special reception for the Alliance’s 25th anniversary on 26 May 2024. FDI President Greg Chadwick gave concluding remarks before participants enjoyed a networking reception in a convivial atmosphere.
On the photo from left to right:
- Greg Chadwick, President of FDI
- Jim Campbell: Director, Health Workforce, WHO
- Bente Mikkelsen: Director, Noncommunicable diseases, Rehabilitation and Disability, WHO
- Howard Catton, CEO of ICN
Photo credit: Janice Blondeau