Frontline community health workers are the ones who take care of us when we’re sick. Now, we must take care of them.
Frontline community health workers are the lynchpins of strong, healthy societies. Yet despite their incredible contributions, these workers are unpaid, underpaid, and under-supported.
For all health workers do for us, we must do more to support them.
Together, we will support the future of frontline community health workers by ensuring they receive recognition, support, and fair pay from the first step to the last mile.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2030, we will have 10 million fewer health workers than the world needs. This comes after the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare monumental gaps in the health workforce and global health needs during health crises.
WHO, 2017
WHO, 2017
Due to the chronic shortfall in global health workers and increasing health needs, frontline community health workers – 70% of whom are women – face heavy work burdens, resulting in burnout and thereby impacting their work efficiency and effectiveness.
Supporting frontline community health workers is key to achieving global health goals and preparing for the next pandemic. And strong global health systems require equality: equal recognition, support, and fair pay for ALL health workers.
CARE is committed to working with governments around the world to adequately support, train, and compensate frontline community health workers.
“Our society needs more women leaders who can play a role in raising awareness about women’s rights and responsibilities.”
A relentless war has been raging in Ukraine since February. More than five million people have fled across the border to neighboring countries. But many people stay behind because they cannot leave: the elderly, people with disabilities, the sick, or those too weak to take on the journey. And people like Lyudmyla Yankina remain.
In 2019, there were about 18 million fewer health workers than needed around the world. After two years and 15 million deaths over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, this gap has likely increased dramatically to at least 26 million fewer health workers than we need.
