World Health Worker Week

For World Health Worker Week 2015, Coalition Advocates Speak on the Need to Protect Health Workers and #SafeguardHealth

Friday, April 10, 2015
During World Health Worker Week 2015 (April 5-11), the global community came together to recognize the heroic and life-saving services provided by health workers around the world, and collectively advocate for health workforce strengthening to be a core priority in both national and global health agendas. At the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, several of our members—spanning diverse continents, languages, and focus areas—reminded us this week that huge gaps remain in ensuring health workers are safe, especially during times of armed conflict and political unrest.

Protecting Health in Conflict

Friday, April 11, 2014
In 2009, while a fellow at the Center for Khmer Studies in Cambodia, I interviewed a pediatric nurse based at the Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap. Our conversation was short, but what I remember most about the encounter was my colleague’s answer to my question about why she had come to Cambodia in the first place. “Yes, I’m from Sri Lanka. But I’m in Cambodia now because I know what it’s like to live in conflict. Good health is important, especially for women and children. So I’m here because I understand the context and have the skills to help.”