The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) has announced that it will publish a report focusing on the challenges of health professional education to stimulate debate and action on the topic.
The report will be presented during a policy briefing session at the WISH 2016 Summit, taking place on November 29 and 30 and address the critical challenge of achieving Universal Health Coverage in the midst of a chronic global shortage of competent health professionals.
World population increases, coupled with economic growth, have contributed to a higher demand for healthcare, increasing the pressure on healthcare workforces.
In the absence of an accessible and competent health workforce, millions of people around the world will be unable to receive the services necessary to meet their needs.
The report is the result of a collaboration between the WISH and the World Bank Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice with support from an international advisory board.
The report hopes to enable increased collaboration between governments, partners and the World Bank Group in addressing health workforce and education related issues to accelerate progress towards UHC.
Timothy Evans, senior director of the Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice at the World Bank Group, and chair of the Health Professional Education Advisory Board, said: “More ambitious and innovative investments are urgently required to make sure the education of health workers is not the primary constraint to achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.”
Amid the challenges and opportunities represented by the global consensus around UHC, this report aims to catalyse intelligent and bold ideas on how investments in the education of health workers can help accelerate progress towards UHC.
WISH, a global initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is a meeting point for thousands of high-level policymakers, academics, and professionals.
It has also evolved into a key platform for the dissemination of healthcare innovation and best practices.
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