Government announces boost for global health workers

The government is making moves towards reducing the shortage of doctors and nurses in poorer parts of the world, having announced a boost for global health workers, worth one million pounds.

The cash injection will be used to fund the development of health services in various developing nations, going towards training initiatives and other such measures. Under the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) some of the world’s poorest countries are on track to receive dedicated health sector aid, with a view to long-term improvements.

Established in 2006, the GHWA is an international alliance committed to helping poor nations find effective healthcare solutions. The UK’s funding will go towards meeting these aims over a two-year period.

To date, the GHWA has begun work in eight separate countries, providing training and guidance for local healthcare leaders. Hilary Benn, secretary of state for international development, highlights the work of the GHWA as an important means of developing adequate global healthcare in those parts of the world most in need of aid.

“The new funding for the international partnership, the GHWA, is another example of how we can work together to find solutions to the critical shortage of staff in developing countries,” he commented.

In a new report from Lord Crisp, former head of the NHS, it was suggested that the NHS could do more to help developing nations with regard to healthcare and medical expertise.