Latest news with #SustainableDevelopmentGoal3
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE not facing nursing shortage, says top health official
Despite a persistent global shortage of nurses, the UAE is not experiencing the same crisis, according to a senior official from Emirates Health Services. This assurance was reaffirmed on the sidelines of the launch of the State of the World's Nursing Report 2025, coinciding with International Nurses Day on May 12. "The UAE does not face a shortage of nurses, as demonstrated by the strength of our healthcare system and the proactive services we provide. The country ranked first in the most recent WHO report on universal health coverage, which further highlights the robustness of our healthcare infrastructure," said Dr Sumaya Al Blooshi, head of the National Committee for Nursing and Midwifery in the UAE and Director of the Nursing Department at Emirates Health Services (EHS). Speaking to Khaleej Times, on the sidelines of the event, Dr Sumaya added, "While there is currently no shortage, we continue to invest in developing our national health workforce. These indicators confirm that the country is on the right track, particularly in its strategic investment in nursing and overall healthcare excellence.' One graduate for every 10 workers The latest World Health Organisation (WHO) report, released Monday, indicates a slight global improvement in nursing numbers. The estimated shortage dropped from 15.4 million in 2020 to 14.7 million in 2023. However, the projected shortfall by 2030 has been revised upward to 11.1 million, highlighting slower-than-expected progress and persistent regional disparities. In 2020, approximately 2.2 million medical and nursing graduates entered the global workforce, equating to one new graduate for every 19 existing health workers. But to meet growing health demands — particularly in countries with expanding populations and ageing health workforces — the report suggests that output must increase to one graduate for every 10 workers. Dr Hanan Balkhy, regional director World Health Organisation Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO/EMRO) said, 'Alarmingly, we are projected to account for nearly one quarter of the global nursing shortfall by 2030. We face tough realities, deteriorating working condition, gaps in education and training, weak regulation, deep inequities and the immigration of nurses to make matters worse.' Despite these global challenges, the UAE is taking proactive steps to use insights from the report to enhance workforce planning and ensure alignment with international benchmarks. 'The report serves as a call to action aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which is Health…emphasising the need for greater investment in nursing and midwifery. In the UAE, we have taken proactive steps in response to the initial report by developing our Nursing and Midwifery Strategy for 2022–2026. This strategy involved making our workforce sustainable, fit for future, and able to serve our community in much better way,' Al Blooshi added. "Education is the cornerstone" She also outlined the foundational pillars of the national strategy, emphasising education and workforce planning. The first pillar focuses on delivering innovative education and continuous professional development. It includes defining clear career pathways, establishing competency frameworks and regulatory standards, and reinforcing governance within the profession. 'Education is the cornerstone — with clear career pathways and regulatory frameworks, we can ensure nurses grow with confidence and competence,' she said. The second pillar addresses workforce planning, calling for a balance between supply and demand, increased nursing student enrollment, and alignment between workforce growth and healthcare system needs. 'While we're encouraged by the steady rise in student numbers each year, further investment and effort are essential to meet future demands. She emphasised while there are a good number of nursing colleges, and universities, in the country but there is still a growing need for more. 'The real challenge lies not only in attracting individuals to the nursing profession but also in retaining them after graduation. We're still in the early stages of addressing these issues — working to draw more people into the field and, just as importantly, investing in their long-term future within the profession. 'We are proud to report that our Emirati workforce within Emirates Health Services (EHS) has reached approximately 14%. Additionally, we are working towards implementing a unique Transition to Practice program within EHS. This initiative aims to foster the growth and development of nurses, providing them with enhanced training opportunities,' Al Blooshi added.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Tariff wars and their effects on social development
In an increasingly interconnected global economy, the resurgence of tariff wars marked by the imposition of protectionist policies and retaliatory trade measures poses a grave threat to the social development agenda pursued by governments, international organisations, and civil society actors. While tariff policies are often justified under the guise of protecting domestic industries and correcting trade imbalances, their unintended consequences reverberate far beyond the economic realm, deeply affecting social sectors such as health, education, poverty eradication, hunger mitigation, migration, and environmental sustainability. In light of escalating geopolitical tensions, most notably between the US and China, as well as the EU's tightening trade regulations, it is crucial to analyse how these trade dynamics are influencing global social welfare. The health sector stands out as one of the most immediately impacted areas due to its dependency on globally interconnected supply chains. Tariffs on medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and critical health infrastructure inputs can significantly inflate costs, thereby reducing accessibility and threatening public health systems, particularly in developing countries. During the Covid-19 pandemic, countries such as India and Brazil suffered from inflated prices for imported ventilators and personal protective equipment due to global supply constraints exacerbated by protectionist measures. According to a 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) report, an estimated 30% increase in the cost of essential health commodities was recorded in the wake of post-pandemic supply chain adjustments, worsened by tariff hikes imposed by countries seeking to boost domestic production. This trend disproportionately affects low-income countries that lack domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities, thereby deepening health inequities and delaying progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Education systems are also vulnerable to the consequences of disrupted trade and constrained fiscal budgets. In many countries, especially those dependent on international aid and trade-based revenues, tariff wars result in reduced national income, forcing austerity measures and cuts in public spending including education. The World Bank's 2024 Global Economic Prospects report warned that global education investments could face a cumulative shortfall of over $210 billion by 2026 due to slowed economic growth attributed to protectionist trade regimes. Additionally, the increase in educational equipment and technology costs much of which is imported affects both access and quality, particularly in rural and underserved communities. In Africa, where cross-border educational partnerships and donor-funded programmes play a vital role, increased trade friction has already led to a reduction in foreign direct investment in education infrastructure, as noted by UNESCO's 2023 Education Monitoring Report. Poverty reduction efforts, which are closely tied to employment and market stability, have been significantly derailed by the volatility of global trade relations. Developing economies, which rely heavily on agricultural and manufacturing exports, are particularly susceptible. For example, Sub-Saharan African countries have faced diminished demand for raw materials like cocoa and cotton due to protectionist policies in Europe and North America. The African Development Bank estimates that for every 10% increase in global tariffs on primary exports, up to 1.5 million jobs in Africa are jeopardised. Moreover, trade barriers increase consumer prices for everyday goods, straining household budgets and pushing more individuals below the poverty line. The International Monetary Fund has projected that global poverty could rise by 3% if the current trend in tariff escalations continues, especially in regions already grappling with post-pandemic economic recovery. Hunger and food insecurity, both of which are closely tied to the flow of international food commodities, are also heavily influenced by trade restrictions. Food-producing countries, often incentivised to protect their markets, have, in recent years, imposed export restrictions that exacerbate shortages in food-importing nations. In 2022, India imposed export bans on wheat and rice amid domestic inflation, leading to significant food shortages in several African and Southeast Asian nations. According to the World Food Programme's Global Report on Food Crises (2024), 345 million people faced acute food insecurity, an increase of 25 million over the previous year with trade-related disruptions cited as a major contributing factor. Tariffs on fertilisers and agricultural machinery further impede productivity and inflate local food prices, disproportionately affecting marginalised rural communities. Migration is yet another social phenomenon shaped by the interplay of trade policy and economic stability. Economic downturns and reduced employment opportunities frequently resulting from diminished export potential often serve as push factors for migration. However, protectionist regimes tend to coincide with more restrictive immigration policies, compounding the plight of vulnerable migrant populations. In the case of the US, rising anti-immigration rhetoric and deportation rates have been linked to broader nationalist economic policies. According to Human Rights Watch, asylum seekers and economic migrants from Central America have increasingly faced detentions and deportations, even as their countries of origin experience economic crises exacerbated by trade exclusion. The convergence of economic protectionism and social exclusion thus creates a feedback loop that exacerbates inequality, xenophobia, and social tension. Environmental protection efforts are often deprioritised during periods of economic retrenchment driven by tariff wars. Many countries, facing reduced revenues and economic stagnation, scale back environmental programs in favor of short-term industrial gains. The rollback of environmental safeguards under the Trump administration, justified in part by trade competitiveness concerns, serves as a stark example. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), global investment in renewable energy dropped by 12% in 2023, with countries citing budgetary constraints influenced by trade-related revenue losses. Moreover, tariffs on green technologies such as solar panels, electric vehicles, and wind turbines discourage their adoption and disrupt climate action plans. For example, EU tariffs on Chinese solar panel imports raised prices across the European market by an estimated 15%, delaying projects crucial to energy transition goals. As the climate crisis continues to threaten global ecosystems and livelihoods, any regression in environmental policy, triggered by economic nationalism, will have long-term planetary consequences. In synthesising these challenges, it becomes evident that tariff wars are not merely economic tools but instruments that inadvertently shape the trajectory of global social development. The interconnectedness of global supply chains means that trade disruptions have cascading effects on domestic policy capacity, social infrastructure, and public welfare. To address this, a recalibration of trade policy is urgently required, one that incorporates social impact assessments and ensures alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Institutions like the WTO, IMF, and regional trade blocs must play a more proactive role in mediating disputes and encouraging cooperative frameworks that prioritise human development alongside economic growth. While tariffs may serve short-term national interests under the banner of economic sovereignty, their broader implications reveal a stark cost to global social well-being. Health systems, education access, poverty reduction, food security, migration dynamics, and environmental protection are all intricately tied to the ebb and flow of global trade. Protectionist strategies, if pursued without regard for their social impact, risk eroding decades of progress in development and human rights. It is, therefore, imperative for policymakers to adopt a holistic, multilateral approach to trade, one that harmonises economic imperatives with social justice, sustainability, and international solidarity. This article is authored by Gunwant Singh, scholar, international relations and security studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Arab News
21-04-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Free ambulance service in southern Pakistan delivers babies, and hope, onboard
MAKLI, Sindh: Earlier this month close to the crack of dawn, a free ambulance service in southern Pakistan received a call that a 26-year-old woman from a remote village in Thatta had gone into labor without a health facility nearby for miles. Within minutes of receiving the call, a Sindh Integrated Emergency and Health Services (SIEHS) ambulance staffed with health workers trained in emergency obstetric care sped off toward Shabeera Bib's location in the Sindh province. The paramedics stabilized her and left with her for the nearest health center but realized soon that there just wasn't enough time to reach the facility. With her husband's consent, Shabeera's baby boy was delivered in the moving ambulance, one of 100 babies born in an SIEHS ambulance in this year alone. 'I was in a lot of pain when I was about to deliver, the baby's condition was also at risk and my water had broken,' Bibi recalled, sitting on a charpoy back at home in her mud home in Hussain Notiar village. In her arms, she held her newborn son Fayyaz. 'I am simply grateful to Allah for saving my baby and my life, and that my baby is still with me today.' Pakistan's Sindh province is the second most populated province of the country where 30 percent of women receive no prenatal care, 60 percent do not give birth in a health facility, and the maternal mortality ratio is thrice the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 3 target. As per a recent United Nations report, Pakistan was among four countries that accounted for nearly half of all maternal deaths worldwide in 2023. The situation is dire in rural districts such as Thatta, where the health infrastructure is shoddy and few skilled birth attendants are available. Set up in 2021, SIEHS, which runs as a public-private partnership, wants to fill the gap, with its ambulances, called 'HOPE,' providing free and round-the-clock assistance to people in Sindh though the 1122 helpline. 'Our job is to respond to emergencies,' Farheen Haider, an emergency Mmedical technician (EMT) at SIEHS, told Arab News. 'When it's a delivery case, we respond immediately. If the situation is more critical, we try to manage the patient on the way.' Since its establishment, SIEHS has delivered 400 babies in ambulances across Sindh, with the mothers surviving in all cases, Haider added. Shabeera's was one such case in which paramedics worked in the confined space of the ambulance, performing the delivery and administering immediate postnatal care, including carrying out an APGAR scoring to gauge the health of the baby, as well as cleaning the mother and baby and cutting the umbilical cord. The baby's grandmother, Haseena Bibi, recalled the ordeal the woman went through that day. 'We are very poor and we couldn't reach the hospital … we were very worried and then the girl [Shabeera] said that she couldn't bear it anymore,' Haseena said. She said the ambulance arrived quickly and Shabeera gave birth on the way. Around 600 HOPE ambulances are operating in various districts of Sindh, Wazeer Ahmed, SIEHS regional manager told Arab News. One of the main objectives of the service, he explained, was to move expecting women to hospitals: 'But if there are complications or the baby is about to be delivered, we take permission from the parents or the husband and proceed with the delivery inside the ambulance.'
Zawya
11-04-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Ministry of Health Reaffirms Commitment to Child Health at Kenya Paediatric Association Conference
The Ministry of Health has reaffirmed its strong commitment to advancing child health in Kenya. Speaking during the opening of the Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA) Annual Scientific Conference in Mombasa, the Director General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, called for stronger collaboration, innovation, and sustained investment in maternal and child health. Under the theme 'Shaping the Future: Collaborative Approaches to Child Health and Development,' Dr. Amoth underscored the urgency of addressing ongoing challenges. He noted that while progress has been made, Kenya continues to grapple with unacceptably high mortality rates. Neonatal mortality stands at 21 per 1,000 live births, infant mortality at 32 per 1,000, under-five mortality at 41 per 1,000, while maternal mortality remains high at 355 per 100,000 live births. 'These numbers are not just statistics; they represent real lives,' he said. 'We must renew our commitment to ensuring that no mother or child is left behind.' Dr. Amoth highlighted the Ministry's key priorities, including scaling up preventive interventions, ensuring skilled care during childbirth, improving access to essential services, and tackling the leading causes of child deaths such as malnutrition, malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea. He applauded the gains made under the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) program, a Ministry-led initiative aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths. Acknowledging global funding constraints, he appealed to development partners, the private sector, and local communities to strengthen their support for child health efforts. He stressed that child health is not solely a health sector issue but a national concern that requires a multisectoral approach. A key highlight of his remarks was the Ministry's ongoing rollout of Social Health Insurance (SHI), which aims to eliminate financial barriers to care and ensure equitable access to services, particularly for vulnerable populations. 'SHI is not just a policy shift; it is a national commitment to put people—especially our most vulnerable—at the center of healthcare,' he stated. Dr. Amoth urged healthcare professionals to lead with renewed energy and innovation to accelerate progress in newborn and maternal outcomes. He emphasized the critical role of the Kenya Paediatric Association in shaping systems that truly protect and empower children under the new health financing framework. As the conference continues, the Ministry of Health reaffirmed its dedication to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure every child in Kenya has a healthy start and a hopeful future. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
