The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr Carissa Etienne, says that the deficit in the health workforce in the Americas, including the Caribbean, reaches 600,000 professionals – and this is something that affects access to care, especially for those in rural and underserved areas of the region.
During the deliberations of the 2022-2030 Action Plan “Working for Health” at the 75th World Health Assembly, underway here, Etienne acknowledged “the enormous sacrifice and contribution of health workers in the Americas” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The unwavering resilience of our health workers is a testimony to their commitment to serve, save lives and ensure health for all,” she said.
The PAHO director noted that, during the peaks of the pandemic, “task shifting and task sharing saved lives,” and that “patient care delivery was facilitated by digital transformation.”
