Princess Muna says investing in health workforce needed on path towards SDGs

AMMAN — HRH Princess Muna, in her capacity as commissioner in the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth, participated in the panel's meeting to hand over the final report and recommendations to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth was formed by Ban in March 2016 and was chaired by French President Francois Hollande and South African President Jacob Zuma. 

The commission aims to inspire actions by drawing the attention of the international community to the social and economic benefits of investing in the health workforce, locally and globally, a Royal Court statement said.

During the commission's meeting, Princess Muna emphasised that investing in the health workforce is needed to make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including gains in health, global security and inclusive economic growth.

She expressed her support and full endorsement of the report and its 10 recommendations, highlighting the importance of two of the recommendations regarding gender and transformative education, the statement said. 

According to Princess Muna, investing in skills and expanding health employment will contribute to the economic empowerment of women. 

She stressed that the world must make significant progress towards gender equality and ensure good working conditions to attract and maintain the health workforce, particularly within the nursing and midwifery sector with competencies and appropriate skills, placed and practised in the right safe work environment.

As for education, she called for a solid transformation of health professional education.

"We are also prompted to re-examine the education and practice of health professions as highlighted in Recommendation 3," the statement quoted the princess as saying.

"This requires concerted and immediate efforts to transform and scale up health workers' education, training and practice, in both professional and vocational education programmes, with solid emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention, to attain the right mix of skills and competencies that are more responsive to the ever changing and evolving needs of populations as well as the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals."

Princess Muna also emphasised the power of evidence in supporting the case of investing in the health workforce and called attention to the importance of political will, and stronger collaboration among all related sectors.

"I am glad to note that evidence has informed the whole commission process, and I strongly support more investment in health workforce data and research, especially on the return on investment of the nursing and midwifery workforce," she said.

"It is evident that the political will and involvement of all related sectors, including health, labour, finance and business, are vital to realise the 10 recommendations of this important report particularly at a very challenging time of continued economic uncertainty and financial constraints," the princess added.

The vision of the high-level commission is for an expanded, transformed and sustainable health workforce to promote health, prevent disease, meet the needs of populations, and drive inclusive economic growth, the statement said. 

The commission's 10 recommendations are aimed at realising those gains, through appropriate investments in health employment that can power economies, move countries closer to universal health coverage and act as a bulwark against outbreaks such as Ebola. 

According to the commission, without action, there will be a shortfall primarily in low- and lower-middle-income countries, of 18 million health workers needed to achieve and sustain universal health coverage, the statement added.

The commission also emphasised that the need for action is urgent, calling for immediate measures by March 2018 to secure commitments and accountability for accelerated health workforce investments. 

In response to this request, the vice chairs of the commission from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Labour Organisation and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development will convene all relevant stakeholders by the end of 2016 to develop a five-year implementation plan for the 10 recommendations.

During her visit to New York, Princess Muna was accompanied by Rowaida Al Maaitah, her "collaborator for the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth", according to the statement.

Princess Muna had been named to take part in the commission "based on her capacity as a world-renowned figure in the fields of global health and social development", according to a previous statement released by the Royal Court.

The princess is also "a well-known advocate of programmes that support the Sustainable Development Goals", with an emphasis on alleviating poverty, promoting maternal and child health and strengthening the healthcare workforce.

As a WHO patron for nursing and midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, vice-president of the Royal College of Nursing of the UK and an honorary adviser for WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Development in Jordan, Princess Muna has addressed several health forums on the importance of empowering the health workforce globally.

She has also been a recipient of several honorary doctoral degrees and fellowships, and a number of international awards. 

In Jordan, Princess Muna helped found the Princess Muna College of Nursing in 1962, and she is the founder of the Jordanian Nursing Council, which was established in 2002, as part of her early commitments to the provision of quality nursing and the advancement of nursing services, practice and education.