Geneva, Switzerland; 1 February 2016 – On the occasion of 138th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board (EB), the International Council of Nurses (ICN) called on WHO and governments to ensure that nurses are involved in every aspect of the policy agenda recognising the contribution which nurses make and will continue to make to global health.
At the EB meeting, ICN gave an intervention on Health workforce and services, highlighting the critical role of nurses in the development, provision and supervision of new initiatives, and stressing that strengthening health systems can only be achieved through investing in nursing and midwifery as part of strengthening human resources for health (HRH), which is a foundational strategy for the successful achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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The final draft of the WHO report Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 was submitted to the Executive Board for its consideration. The role of nursing in the Global HRH Strategy is of utmost importance to ICN which has encouraged its members to ensure that the nursing role and contributions are appropriately recognised throughout this development and endorsement process. ICN has developed a series of policy briefs for national nursing association to use in meetings with government officials. These are available at: With the formal approval of the SDG goals and targets by the UN in September 2015, it is intended that the Global Strategy will provide all countries with concrete recommendations and ideas on how to achieve these targets at a more technical level.
Yukiko Kusano, ICN Consultant, Nursing and Health Policy, said, “ICN recognises that neither
SDG 3 nor the objectives of the HRH Strategy will be achieved without urgent and increased investment in nursing and midwifery development.”
The main functions of the WHO Executive Board are to give effect to the decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly (WHA), to advise it and generally to facilitate its work. This year, the WHA will be held 23-30 May 2016 and there are several items of interest to nursing including: the Draft Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030; integrated people-centred health services; Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; noncommunicable diseases, ageing; antimicrobial resistance; the health of migrants; Ebola virus disease; and counterfeit medical products.
Other important issues to be addressed at the WHA include: the achievement of the healthrelated Millennium Development Goals; maternal, infant and child nutrition; women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health; violence; health and the environment; HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections; vaccines; and WHO reform.
The main documents on the agenda for the Executive Board meeting can be found here:
ICN gave interventions on the following agenda items: Maternal, infant and young child nutrition; Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak and issues raised; and Health workforce and services. Jointly with the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) an intervention was given on Multisectoral action for a life-course approach to healthy ageing.
ICN members can access all ICN interventions via the password protected members’ area of the ICN website. Interventions are also available from the WHO website: https://apps.who.int/ngostatements/meetingoutline/7
ICN has been in official relations with the WHO since 1948 and has worked collaboratively on many projects of mutual interest over the years.
Note for Editors
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nurses associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally, ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
For further information contact: Lindsey Williamson at: [email protected]
Tel: +41 22 908 0100; Fax: +41 22 908 0101
ICN/PR2016 #03
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
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