World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) has launched a strategy calling for the health professions and key stakeholders to work together towards sustainable health workforces and strengthened health systems.
The strategy was launched at a reception, 26 May 2024 in Geneva, to mark WHPA’s 25th anniversary. Guests at the reception included senior figures from UN agencies, major health and humanitarian NGOs, and other stakeholders.
Launched on the eve of the 77th World Health Assembly, the strategy will invigorate WHPA’s role as the only organisation bringing the expertise and concerns of the key health professions to the international stage.
The presidents of the five WHPA member organisations addressed the reception, highlighting achievements in WHPA’s history and key points in the new strategy.
Michel Landry, World Physiotherapy president, said: “At the heart of WHPA’s Positive Practice Environments campaign is a recognition of the interdependence between the working conditions of healthcare professionals and the quality of care they can provide. (…) Initiatives like this are not just about making life better for healthcare professionals; they're about ensuring better health outcomes for everyone.”
Pamela Cipriano, International Council of Nurses (ICN) president, said “Our new collective WHPA strategy continues the vision of cooperation and collaboration of our founders, carrying it forward into the second quarter of the 21st century. We believe that leadership is one of the core essentials that cuts across all of our strategic goals, to achieve the SDGs and reach the goals set by UHC2030.”
Luis Lorenco, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) vice president, said: “At the heart of a strong health system lies a supported and collaborative health workforce. The WHPA, alongside our partners, advocates tirelessly for the pivotal role of health professions in this endeavour.”
Greg Chadwick, World Dental Federation (FDI) president, said: “WHPA's dedication to interprofessional collaboration was first formalized in a 2013 Statement on Interprofessional Collaboration, updated in 2023. This commitment is now a strategic goal in WHPA’s new plan, reflecting our unified approach to global health challenges.”
Lujain Alqodmani, World Medical Association (WMA) president, said: “Values like equity, integrity and respect have always been central to WMA’s work, ensuring fairness and justice in all our work, and that we do what’s right and ethical according to our codes of practice. The WHPA’s new strategy shares these values, and adds a crucial one: unity, because we achieve more when we work together. I look forward to working with the rest of WHPA partners in implementing this ambitious plan.”
