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<DIV><I><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-STYLE: italic"></SPAN></FONT></I> </DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">The World Health
Organization (WHO) warned today that failure to address problems confronting
health workers may push some health systems to the brink of
collapse.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">Decades of cost-cutting and
under-investment in health have resulted in poor working conditions for many
health workers. This has led to an exodus of health workers overseas for higher
pay, the deterioration of some health services and erosion of public trust in
health systems.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">It is high time health workers were
paid decent salaries, and provided with the right working conditions and the
right equipment to do the work they are trained to do.
Governments must act now and implement a better deal for health
workers.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">In recognition of the vital
contribution of health workers to society and to raise awareness about their
plight, WHO has devoted this year's observance of World Health Day, on 7 April,
to the world's health workforce.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">WHO has also published the World
Health Report 2006, which seeks the alliance of stakeholders—policy-makers,
international donors, politicians, health professionals, civil society,
faith-based organizations and the media—to properly address the technical and
political challenges of health workforce development.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">Health workers are among the unsung
heroes of our time.They work long hours in difficult conditions, often with
little reward and sometimes at risk to their own health.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">Traditional diseases, combined with
modern-day lifestyle illnesses and the additional burden of emerging diseases
and a growing ageing population, already are causing unprecedented strain on
health-care systems.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">While efforts are being made to deal
with these health concerns, failure to act on long-standing issues
affecting health workers will affect not only health systems, but the well-being
of people and of future generations. Without the devotion of health
workers, public health services will be in crisis and will not be able to
cope with the ever-growing burden of disease.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=normal6 style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">In a move to strengthen health
workforces, WHO has called on Member States to set up specific
targets:</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">All countries and areas should have a
strategic national workforce plan—several countries and areas in the next year
and all within five years.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">Investments in preparing the
workforce through strengthened education and training should be dramatically
increased.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=normal6
style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><FONT
face=Symbol size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">·<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><![endif]><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 150%">Local and national innovations should
be scaled up such as health insurance, remote area allowances and subsidized
mortgages.</SPAN></FONT></P>
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