Campaigning for Health Workers in New York and Sierra Leone, by Dr Joan Shepherd, President of the Sierra Leonean Midwives Association

Warmest greetings from me here in Sierra Leone.

I was really pleased to represent the Health Workers Count coalition at the UN meetings in New York. It is so important. 41 African countries have a critical shortage of health workers. Ghana has only half of the health workers it needs, and Sierra Leone has just one tenth. This is a crisis. African governments, supported by donor funding, need to invest in health care and put in place retention strategies for medical practitioners in remote areas like housing, water supply and other allowances. It simply is not acceptable that mothers and babies are dying for no reason. With the support of the international midwifery community and renewed commitment from world leaders, we can save more mothers and babies and stop this desperate waste of life.
It has always been my pleasure to promote critical issues that will further enhance the work of our noble profession and that of children and mothers. The forum, I believe, created a fertile ground for the world to see and appreciate the contributions of health workers which was a timely response to an important and relevant need. We are elated here at the very prospect of health workers being at the center of discussions for recognition among others in closing the gap. It is my fervent hope and prayer that you will get all the necessary support from key stakeholders to actualize your vision and future plans for health workers which in turn will contribute to saving valuable lives of children and mother.

I feel privileged and highly honoured to be chosen as an ambassador. I wish I could have done more. I am more than willing to contribute towards the attainment of this goal. My Pleasure, my duty! I arrived home safely to meet my family in good health. I was interviewed yesterday for the News Papers as the lobbying and campaigning continues from this end. I very much enjoy participating in any activity that will lead to better outcomes for children and women.

Missing you all.

Best regards,
Joan.