Year of Health and Care Workers 2021

WHO
Health and care workers.

Sign the Vaccine Equity Declaration

2021 has been designated as the International Year of Health and Care Workers (YHCW) in appreciation and gratitude for their unwavering dedication in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO is launching a year-long campaign, under the theme – Protect. Invest. Together. It highlights the urgent need to invest in health workers for shared dividends in health, jobs, economic opportunity and equity.

This year, we are calling on your support and action to ensure that our health and care workforces are supported, protected, motivated and equipped to deliver safe health care at all times, not only during COVID-19. Today, we ask that you to add your voice to those calling for additional investments in health and care workers.

Campaign objectives

Ensure the world’s health and care workers are prioritised for the COVID-19 vaccine in the first 100 days of 2021.

Recognize and commemorate all health and care workers who have lost their lives during the pandemic.

Mobilize commitments from Member States, International Financing Institutions, bilateral and philanthropic partners to protect and invest in health and care workers to accelerate the attainment of the SDGs and COVID-19 recovery.

Engage Member States and all relevant stakeholders in dialogue on a care compact to protect health and care workers’ rights, decent work and practice environments.

Bring together communities, influencers, political and social support in solidarity, advocacy and care for health and care workers.

Key messages

The campaign highlights the urgent need to invest in health workers for shared dividends in health, jobs, economic opportunity and equity. This means ensuring appropriate protection and conditions of work. It calls for additional investments in health and care workers’ education and employment. It means a shared vision for investing in people as the foundation of Health for All. Together the global community has the opportunity to realize this vision.

Team of microbiologists pose for a portrait.

PROTECT our health and care workers

Health and care workers have protected the world during COVID-19: We have a moral obligation to protect them.

Health workers delivering new COVID-19 health care innovations and vaccines should have the requisite support and enabling work environment. Vaccinating health and care workers first is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.

INVEST in the people who invest in us

The world is facing a global shortage of health workers. We must invest in education, jobs and decent work to protect the world from disease and achieve universal health coverage.

Globally, 70% of the health and social workforce are women. Nurses and midwives represent a large portion of this. We need to invest in gender equity.

TOGETHER, we can make it happen

We all have a role to play to ensure that our health and care workforces are supported, protected, motivated and equipped to deliver safe health care at all times, not only during COVID-19.