WHPA urges governments to invest in health workers before the next pandemic

The World Health Professions Alliance is pressing governments meeting in New York for the UN pandemic preparedness summit to turn commitments into staffing, financing and workplace protections. WHPA says chronic understaffing and poor conditions leave health systems exposed when the next crisis hits.

Why it matters: - Pandemic preparedness depends on the health workforce, not just vaccines, plans or stockpiles. - Chronic understaffing and weak working conditions can leave health systems unable to absorb the surge in demand during a crisis. - Women make up about 70% of the global health workforce and are heavily concentrated in lower-paid jobs, so workforce strain can deepen gender inequality in emergencies.

What happened: - The World Health Professions Alliance called on governments to act on commitments to strengthen and invest in the health workforce. - The appeal came as world leaders met in New York for the UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. - WHPA was represented by leaders from the International Council of Nurses at the meeting. - WHPA Chair and ICN CEO Howard Catton said governments must turn political commitments into action so health systems are not caught off guard by the next pandemic.

The details: - WHPA wants governments to strengthen workforce capacity through adequate staffing levels. - The group also wants decent working conditions for health professionals. - WHPA is pushing for sustainable financing for the health workforce. - The alliance is calling for meaningful support for health professionals’ health and wellbeing. - The Political Declaration is expected to be adopted by heads of state and government on 25 September at the second UN High-Level Meeting on PPPR during the 81st UN General Assembly. - WHPA welcomed the declaration’s commitment to “develop, recruit, strengthen, protect, safeguard, and invest in a multidisciplinary, skilled, adequate, trained, health and care workforce”. - ICN also held a side event on pandemic-ready health systems during the UN General Assembly. - The side event focused on interdisciplinary workforce solutions and on building strong, connected and adaptable health workforces.

Between the lines: - WHPA is arguing that pandemic policy has been too focused on emergency response and not enough on the workforce that must deliver care every day. - The message is also a warning that countries cannot expect exhausted health workers to deliver extraordinary surge capacity without fixing routine staffing and pay first. - The emphasis on women underscores how workforce shortages and undervaluation can widen existing inequalities during public health emergencies.

What's next: - Governments now need to convert the UN declaration into funding, staffing plans and workplace reforms. - WHPA will likely keep pressing for implementation rather than new promises. - The UN meeting outcome will set the tone for how seriously countries treat health workforce investment before the next crisis.

The bottom line: - WHPA says pandemic readiness starts with the people delivering care, and governments must fund and protect that workforce now rather than after the next outbreak.