Learning About HWAI

HWAI believes in:

Empowering Society

Civil society plays an important role in holding governments and institutions to account for efforts intended to meet local need. HWAI aims to deepen the knowledge and capacity of civil society so that it has the resources to effectively address the shortage of human resources for health.

Adequate Financing

Health for All & UHC

All people everywhere have the right to the highest attainable standard of health. A motivated, adequately equipped, and equitably distributed health workforce is central to the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC)

What is UHC?

Universal Health Coverage aims to eliminate the many barriers to health in order to ensure that all people can access the health services they need. UHC addresses the concepts of equity, access (availability, affordability and acceptability), and quality of services. A well-trained, well-supported and appropriately dispersed health workforce is integral to achieving UHC.

Why do health workers count for UHC?

Frontline health workers (FHWs) are integral in providing available, affordable, and culturally acceptable health services, especially for communities in hard-to-reach areas. Frontline health workers not only provide necessary medical treatments, they also save lives by encouraging healthier living through preventative care and health education.

Why is it so important that health workforce strengthening language be included in the Sustainable Development Goals?

Since 2000, investments in health and development have been guided by the landmark United Nations compact the Millennium Development Goals.  As 2015 and the end date of the MDGs approaches, the global community has its eyes on the global compact that will follow the MDGs.  These are the Sustainable Development Goals: a set of universal global priorities that will guide the development priorities of countries in broad target areas encompassing health, poverty, the environment and other areas.

The Sustainable Development Goals, still in development, are a crucial advocacy opportunity.  HWAI strongly recommends that access to a skilled health worker for all be included in the Sustainable Development Goals as part of the Universal Health Coverage sub-target: 3.8 achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health care services, access to trained and supported health workers, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.