World Health Worker Week

Meet Eight Health Workers Who Love Their Jobs

Carol Bales — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 15:44:27 +0000

This post originally appeared on VITAL, the blog of IntraHealth International.

“I love my job!” says one enthusiastic health worker in Laos. And he backs up his statement with a solid reason: “I like to save my patient’s life.”

Kenechanh Chanthapadith relates a typical day on the job, sharing an example about a woman who complained of abdominal pain. “I examined her and I found that she had an ectopic pregnancy,” he says. “I sent her immediately to Mahosot Hospital to get an operation. And she’s alive now!”

Author's name:

Sarah Dwyer and Carol Bales

Publication Date:

April 2014

What’s Ahead? Making Commitments to Strengthening the Health Workforce

Carol Bales — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:09:38 +0000

This week we’ve celebrated the amazing lifesaving work of health workers around the world, as part of the first-ever World Health Worker Week. We’ve also raised awareness of some of their challenges. Of course, one week is not enough, and health workers deserve our support and appreciation everyday—especially those on the frontlines.

Now it’s time to look ahead.

CapacityPlus and our lead partner, IntraHealth International, are deeply engaged in the planning process for the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health, which will take place November 10–13 in Recife, Brazil. We want this to be far more than a regular conference or a celebration of health workers—this event will serve as a target date to mobilize action on health workforce strengthening to achieve the health MDGs.

Author's name:

Sarah Dwyer and Carol Bales

Publication Date:

April 2013

Health Is Wealth

Carol Bales — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:14:43 +0000

This post was originally published on the IntraHealth International blog.

Meet three men in Africa who share two key beliefs: access to health care for all people is vital, and healthy people build strong economies.

Samuel Nugblega of the Christian Health Association of Ghana believes in helping his country develop economically by improving the health of Ghanaians. “Health is fundamental to everything,” he says. “And from Ghana, we say health creates wealth.” To bring this about, Samuel works to support the health workers who deliver vital services.

Author's name:

Carol Bales and Sarah Dwyer

Publication Date:

April 2013

Who Deserves Our Thanks? Health Workers Who Save Lives

Carol Bales — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:22:42 +0000

I’m afraid of snakes. It’s such a clichéd fear that I’m a little ashamed to admit it, but there it is. Hiking on a steep and winding trail recently, I turned a corner and almost stomped on a giant snake. I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn’t seen it at the last second.

In Accra, Ghana, one person’s reptilian encounter didn’t turn out so lucky. A very poisonous species bit him and he went into shock. The snakebite would have been fatal. Fortunately, a health worker was there to save his life.

Author's name:

Sarah Dwyer

Publication Date:

April 2013

What’s the Issue? Not Enough Health Workers in Susan’s Maternity Unit

Carol Bales — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:54:28 +0000

When Susan Alio describes what she likes best about her job, a smile spreads across her face and her eyes light up. “When mothers come,” she says softly and swiftly, “and they have a normal birth, they go with their babies, healthy, without any complication, that one gives me joy.” She’s perfectly poised in her crisp white uniform and cap.

Susan obviously loves her job as a midwife at Naguru Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, but it’s not easy. She feels the effects of the global shortage of health workers firsthand, on a daily basis. When she’s asked about her challenges, her big smile fades and her words slow down. “My biggest challenge is usually not enough staffs on the station, because you end up being stretched, and then when you’re stretched you’re not able to deliver at your best,” she explains.

Author's name:

Carol Bales

Publication Date:

April 2013