The 63rd World Health Assembly Establishes Ethical Principles for International Health Worker Recruitment

This years World Health Assembly, held in Geneva in May, saw the adoption of multiple resolutions on a variety of pressing global health issues. The Assembly brought together Health Ministers and senior health officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States.
High on the agenda was the development of a global code of practice to govern the international recruitment of health personnel. The goal was to establish and promote voluntary, ethical principles and practices that strengthen the health systems of developing countries, discouraging states from actively recruiting from developing countries that are facing critical shortages of health workers. The goal was also to encourage facilitation of the "circular migration of health personnel" to maximize skills and share knowledge. The new code also seeks to ensure equal rights for both migrant and non-migrant health workers.
[Photo thanks to WHO / Chris Black]

"Thanks to some all-night efforts, we now have a code of practice on the international recruitment of health personnel," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.

Click for PDF: WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.

Protection for Healthcare Workers in the Caribbean

Protection of healthcare workers in the Caribbean region is receiving some attention at last. The First Regional Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean on Health Protection for Health-Care Workers was held September 22nd-24th, 2009 in Maracay, Venezuela.

The meeting was organized by "PAHO/WHO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Venezuela, the Instituto de Altos Estudios de Salud Dr.Arnoldo Gabaldon, and the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)" and brought together "policymakers, academics, hospital managers, epidemiologists, front line workers, and civil society from across the region".

"Healthcare workers are often exposed simultaneously to a variety of work hazards from various natures, including biological, chemical, physical, and psycho-social ones."

During the meeting "participants had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience on EPINet, a surveillance system for tracking needlestick injures and blood and body fluid exposure among healthcare workers."
Click on the title to read more from the PAHO website.