Governments across the world must invest in nursing education, the creation of nursing jobs, and leadership.
This is the message from the World Health Organization, WHO, as it launches a new report on the State of the World’s Nursing 2020 at its headquarters in Geneva to commemorate the 2020 World Health Day this Tuesday.
The report provides an in-depth look at the largest component of the health workforce globally. Nurses account for more than half of all the world’s health workers, providing vital services throughout the health system.
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Some findings in the report identified important gaps in the nursing workforce and priority areas for investment in nursing education.
The report says around the world nurses are demonstrating their compassion, bravery and courage as they respond to the Coronavirus pandemic stating that never before has their value been more clearly demonstrated.
The report put together by WHO in partnership with the International Council of Nurses, ICN and Nursing Now, shows that there were just under 28 million nurses worldwide.
Between 2013 and 2018, nursing numbers increased by 4.7 million, this still leaves a global shortfall of 5.9 million with the greatest gaps found in countries in Africa, South East Asia and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region as well as some parts of Latin America.
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To avert the global shortage, the report estimated that countries experiencing shortages needed to increase the total number of nurse graduates by on average 8 percent annually.
This, it suggested, should be done along with improved ability to be employed and retained in the health system.
The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every April 7, under the sponsorship of WHO, as well as other related organisations. The launch of the Nursing Report is part of activities To commemorate the day this year
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
