World to fall short of 10 million health workers by 2030 - WHO

The organisation revealed that this is due to unequal remuneration and unfavourable working conditions.

The organisation urged nations to pay close attention to the suffering of health professionals.

WHO advised that support should be given to health workers because they keep the world's population alive and secure.

WHO urged improved remuneration and overall working conditions for health professionals in order for African nations to accomplish Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.

In order to achieve SDG 3's goal of ensuring everyone's health and wellbeing, Governments across the world have made strong commitments to eradicate the epidemics of AIDS, TB, malaria, and other infectious diseases by 2030.

SDG 3 seeks to ensure that everyone has access to safe and reliable medications and immunisations.

WHO's warning comes against the backdrop of the International Council of Nurses warning that developing countries are losing nurses to developed countries at a high rate.

Health professionals in Uganda continue to grumble about their salaries, leading them on multiple occasions to take strike action.

Senior doctors and pre-medical interns have been in the news since the year started, expressing their frustrations with the Ministry of Health.

Key among the issues raised by the senior doctors is the salary increment and change in their professional titles, which they say have led to the government confusing them for low cadres.

While addressing the media on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, Dr. Joel Kimera, a paediatrician at Mulago, said they want their titles changed to ‘associate consultant.’

Pre-medical interns, on the other hand, are demanding that the Ministry of Health deploy them for internships.