Reducing shortage of nurses key to better response to next pandemic – PAHO

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has called for greater investments to close the existing shortfall of nurses in the Region, to ensure that countries have the personnel necessary to better respond to the next health emergency.
Statistics indicate that between 600,000 to 2,000,000 more healthcare professionals, including nurses, are needed to meet the health needs of the population of the Americas.
PAHO Director, Dr Jarbas Barbosa said, “A well-educated, skilled and equitably distributed workforce is critical to building resilient health systems, meeting population health needs and better preparing for future threats and pandemics.”
He was speaking at the International Nurses Day celebration, where he highlighted the fundamental role played by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledged those who lost their lives.
According to Dr Barbosa, the investment made by countries of the Region in the health workforce to respond to COVID-19 was essential. However, the nursing workforce “continues to face challenges related to shortages, poor distribution and inadequate working environments.”
Nurses represent 56 per cent of the total health workforce in the Americas, making them the mainstay of health services.
According to recent estimates, Latin America and the Caribbean has around 44.3 nursing professionals per 10,000 inhabitants, lower than the estimated 70.6 per 10,000 needed to meet the United Nations goal of universal health access and coverage by 2030.
To address the future needs of health systems, the PAHO Director called for a redoubling of efforts in three key areas: health financing, including education and retention of nurses; quality of education, to ensure that future nurses are well-trained; and expanding the professional role of nurses in primary care to reduce gaps in coverage and access.
“On this International Nurses Day, let us join efforts to work together to recover stronger and better from COVID-19, and make the necessary investments for the development of the health workforce throughout the Region of the Americas,” Dr Barbosa said.
There are approximately 27.9 million nursing professionals in the world, 30 per cent of which are in the Americas. Some 82 per cent of nursing professionals are in Brazil, Canada and the United States, countries that account for around 57 per cent of the regional population.
Moreover, 89 per cent of the Region’s nursing professionals are women and 43 per cent of countries in the Region have less than 30 nursing professionals per 10,000 inhabitants.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony expressed on Friday that the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) would have highlighted the gravity of nurses’ contributions in keeping people safe, as well as reducing mortality of infants and mothers in Guyana.
The current Administration has acknowledged healthcare providers’ efforts by invested $1.5 billion to increase salaries for nurses and other healthcare workers in 2023, with some nurses receiving up to 80 per cent salary increases.
Nursing education has advanced dramatically with more educational facilities, private institutions, and the option to pursue a Master’s in Public Health (MPH). (G12)