On April 5th and 6th, we did a bit of advocacy work as we supported the Frontline Health Workers Coalition with visits to congressional staff on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, USA. The goal of the visits was to lobby in support of the bipartisan introduction of House Resolution 342.
The goal of House Resolution 342 is to:
- Reaffirm the critical role of frontline health workers in achieving core global health goals
- Commend US progress in helping to build local capacity and save lives in the world’s most vulnerable communities by training and supporting such workers
- Urge greater global attention and support for such workers to ensure their protection and their ability to respond effectively during humanitarian and public health crises and to safeguard the health of the world’s most vulnerable populations
- Call on all relevant federal agencies to develop a health workforce strengthening action plan with concrete targets for increasing equitable access to qualified health workers in low- and middle-income countries to support the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 and recommendations of the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth
DRASA’s Deputy Chair Dr. Ama Adadevoh represented us during the visits and shared information about her late sister Dr. Adadevoh and our work to emphasize the need for this Resolution.
The group visited the offices of the following members of US House of Representatives to lobby for support:
- Rep. Ted Yoho
- Rep. Andy Harris
- Rep. Ron Estes
- Rep. Eliot Engel
- Rep. David Rouzer
- Rep. Hal Rogers
- Rep Steve Womack
We were very happy to be part of this process which we hope will lead to more focus on healthworkers and more resources committed to supporting health workforce strengthening!
