Global moot on HR for Health to focus developing countries: Ejaz
By Bushra Makhdoom

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for Health Ejaz Rahim has said that the global Conference on "Human Resource for Health" focused on the crisis in the developing countries regarding availability of skilled health workers for community health and human welfare in the face of growing tide of communicable, non-communicable, and emergency diseases.
The Minister on his arrival on Sunday at Islamabad in a statement has said that the Conference noted that worldwide there are 59.8 million health workers of which two-third (39.5 million) provide direct health services whereas one-third (19.8 million) are management and support workers.
Without having a global framework and national plans of HRD including health workforce, the crisis will worsen. The conference gave a wake-up call to all stakeholders.
It is noted that the conference was held from March 2 to March 7 under the aegis of Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA). It was participated in by 1500 delegates from 57 countries and personally attended by Health Ministers of a dozen countries and heads of international organizations and civil society federations.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Health Minister Ejaz Rahim and comprised Additional Secretary Health Division Imtiaz Inayat Elahi and Stella Nazir, Nursing Adviser.
The Conference took note of global inequalities which need to be addressed. The findings of the World Health Report, 2006 were specially highlighted. The ratio per 1000 of Health force was 2.3 for African Region; 4.0 for EMRO (which includes Pakistan), 4.3 in South East Asia; 5.8 for W. Pacific Region; 18.9 for Europe; and 24.8 for the Americas.
It was noted that Americas had 10% of global burden of disease but utilized 50% of World's financing on 37% of Health Workers. Sub-Saharan Africa on the other hand had 24% of global health burden but only 3% of Health Workers and only 1 % of global spending. The Conference stressed that all stakeholders should work concretely for removing this unsupportable situation.
Another key issue taken up by the Conference was migration of badly-needed health manpower from the very poor countries to the developed markets. The Conference urged to finalize negotiations through WHO with WTO to ensure that justice is done to the poor populations. It was pointed out that one in four doctors and one nurse in 20 trained in Africa is actually working in OPEC.”
The Federal Minister of Health Mr. Ejaz Rahim chaired the Ministerial Roundtable held on 4 March 2008 to give final shape to the Kampala Declaration on Human Resources for Health. The Kampala Declaration was entitled "Health Workers for All and All for Health Workers" and adopted in the plenary session on 5-March 2008.
In his remarks, the Federal Health Minister as chair of the Ministerial Roundtable urged for adequate resources to resolve the health force crisis; the projection of right skill-mix at national level through country plans; and proper coordination by all national and global partners.
A highlight of the Conference was the appointment of a Pakistani as new Executive Director of Global Health Workforce Alliance. Dr. Mubashar who has previously earned recognition as Programme Manager of Lady Health Workers Programme replaced Dr. Francis Omaswa of Uganda.