The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has put its weight behind a five-year action plan to increase investments in the global health workforce developed by the ILO’s constituents who include ministers of labour and health, worker’s organisations and employers, among others.
The ILO said its research findings show that investments in health employment coupled with the right policies and technical assistance can foster inclusive economic growth and achieve universal health coverage.
“In other words, such investments are not a cost. They are a driver of inclusive growth and decent work,” the ILO said in its opening statement to the High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Health Employment and Economic Growth.
The ILO said scaling up investments in the health workforce is key to achieving the sustainable development goals.
The High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth highlighted how the challenges of creating decent jobs, improving health services, achieving universal health coverage and sustaining economic growth cannot be solved
through action within the health sector alone.
“The ILO welcomes the five-year action plan to increase investments in the global health workforce. It sets out how we can best support countries in their implementation of the Commission’s recommendations, with game-changing ideas, policy advice and technical assistance,” the statement said.
The High-Level Commission is lobbying for investments in the global health workforce to achieve universal health coverage, decent work and inclusive growth by 2030.
“The challenge before us is to create millions of new jobs in the health sector, particularly for young women and men. And if our efforts are to be truly sustainable, these jobs must be decent jobs, in better conditions of work, with improved occupational safety and health, and recognition of workers’ rights,” the ILO said.
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