A lady health worker reads a vaccination card during a patient consultation with a new mother.

Saving Lives Should Not Mean Risking Your Own

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Health | Global Health Security | Primary Health Care | Systems Strengthening for Health Impact

The importance of investing in health worker safety for more resilient health systems

A sticker with the words Development Matters

This post was originally posted on the Chemonics International LinkedIn page.

There is renewed attention on health workforce protections as health systems rebuild after the pandemic. Now is the time to bolster health systems so that health workers can deliver health for all more safely.  

Despite the pandemic’s spotlight on the key role of health workers for health system resilience, there is still increased global concern about health workers’ wellbeing. In addition to disease exposure, health workers face occupational risks, exposure to chemicals, and physical hazards on the job, including violence and harassment from patients or colleagues. In addition, they face psychosocial and mental health risks, including a growing risk of burnout, which has resulted in a mass exit from the practice. Read more here

Banner image caption: Lady health supervisor Alma Khatoon speaks with Mumtaz Azizullah as she checks the vaccine card for her 1-month-old daughter Madeeha Azizullah to make sure her vaccinations are up to date at her home on November 17, 2023 in Sukkur, Pakistan. Credit: Saiyna Bashir ǀ Chemonics International

Posts on the blog represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Chemonics.

Rachel Deussom

About Rachel Deussom

Rachel Deussom is the director of the Chemonics Global Health Practice, with over 17 years of experience focusing on health systems strengthening, human resources for health, community health, digital Health, HIV/AIDS, and maternal and child health. Previously, she acted as the technical director of HRH2030 Program, USAID’s global health workforce flagship project, led by Chemonics.…