WCPT is committed to supporting
international issues and campaigns, to further its mission in supporting the profession
and its contribution to world health. Further information on some of
these initiatives can be found by following the links below.
AIDS
Anti-tobacco initiatives
Bone & Joint Decade Joint Motion 2000 - 2010
Child Abuse
Disability
Health Human Resources (including migration) - NEW!
Landmines
Malaria
Tuberculosis
Regulation - NEW!
Torture
Workplace Violence
Fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need.
As a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities, the Global Fund represents an innovative approach to international health financing.
Anti-Tobacco Initiatives
World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) World No Tobacco Day 2004
www.who.int/tobacco
Bone & Joint Decade Joint Motion 2000 - 2010
The goal of the Bone and Joint Decade is to improve the health-related quality of life for people with musculoskeletal disorders throughout the world. These disorders are the most notorious and common causes of severe long-term pain and physical disability, affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world. The Decade aims to raise awareness and promote positive actions to combat the suffering and costs to society associated with musculoskeletal disorders such as joint diseases, osteoporosis, spinal disorders, severe trauma to the extremities and crippling diseases and deformities in children.
On World Osteoporosis Day October 20, several activities took place and among them was a video presentation entitled Osteoporosis: A Ticking Time Bomb : Understanding the risk factors is key to prevention. Visit www.healthpolitics.com to view the program.
World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse
Women's World Summit Foundation (WWSF) launched in 2000 the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse, a Day to be commemorated every 19 November in synergy with the anniversary of the International Day for the rights of the child (20 November) which has as its objective to be a rallying point around the issue of child abuse and the need for urgent effective prevention programs.
The 2008 campaign theme is "Child Participation in Preventing Abuse and Violence Against Children"
Read more about the work of the WWSF in their e-Newsletter
Disability Issues
The World Health Organization (WHO) have been tasked to prepare a World Report on Disability and Rehabilitation. The Report will be developed between the end of 2006 and mid 2009. You can access the concept paper on the WHO website here.
Update reports from the WHO Disability and Rehabilitation Team:-
Issue 5 - July 2008 [773kb]
Issue 4 - April 2008 [1.29mb]
Issue 3 - January 2008 [1.86mb]
Issue 2 - August 2007 [607kb]
Issue 1 - April 2007 [1.24mb] |
The United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the focal point for matters relating to disability.
There are three core areas of mandate for the Secretariat:
Proposed supplement to the Standard Rules (2002) [ English | Français | Español ]
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) [ English ] Access Newsletters
|
International Day of Disabled Persons - 3 December
2008 Theme: "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us"
The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the General Assembly in 1982 |
| Healthlink Worldwide work with over 50 partners worldwide, mobilising innovative knowledge and communication processes; empowering people to voice their health needs and have those voices heard |
Health Human Resources (including migration)
Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) - NEW!
As part of its work to identify and implement solutions to the health workforce crisis, GHWA commissioned the world's leading health and hospital professional associations (International Council of Nurses, the International Hospital Federation, the International Pharmaceutical Federation, the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, the World Dental Federation and the World Medical Association) to produce the first-ever joint guidelines on incentives for the retention and recruitment of health professionals.
Underlining both financial and non-financial incentives as critical to ensuring effective recruitment, retention and performance of health workers across the world, the Guidelines describe different approaches taken by a number of countries and offer practical solutions to enable stronger retention and recruitment schemes.
Download:
- press release
- Guidelines: Incentives for Health Professionals
(full papers - 44 pages)
|
Positive Practice Environments (PPEs)
PPEs are settings that ensure the health, safety and personal well-being of staff, support the provision of quality patient care and improve the motivation, productivity and performance of individuals and organisations. There is clear evidence globally that the current workforce shortages and the lack of positive practice environments are having a serious negative impact on the recruitment and retention of health professionals, the productivity and performance of health facilities, and ultimately on patient outcomes.
To address the issue of PPE, the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT), The International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Hospital Federation (IHF), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), World Dental Federation (FDI), and World Medical Association (WMA) are collaborating with the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) to undertake a campaign to improve work environments and aid in staff recruitment and retention through the development of positive practice environments (PPEs).
The pilot phase of the project included a PPE workshop in Kampala, Uganda at the time of the First Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in March 2008. As part of the campaign two fact sheets on Positive Practice Environments for Health Care Professionals and Incentive Systems for Health Professionals have been developed. They are both available in English, French and Spanish.
- Positive Practice Environments for Health Care Professionals
fact sheets
- Incentive Systems for Health Professionals
fact sheets
|
First Global Forum on Human Resources for Health
The first Global Forum on Human Resources for Health was held in Kampala, Uganda from 2-7 March, 2008. It called for immediate and sustained action to resolve the critical shortage of health workers around the world. Attendees at the Forum endorsed the Kampala Declaration and the Agenda for Global Action. This high profile event was attended by nearly 1500 participants, including donors, experts and ministers of health, education and finance.
|
A Call To Action: Ensuring Global Human Resources for Health
International Health Workforce Migration
International Conference Centre - Geneva, Switzerland
22-23 March 2007
In May 2008 a new report from the March 2007 conference, A Call to Action: Ensuring Global Human Resources for Health, was released and presents specific recommendations for hospital and health system leaders, funding agencies, professional associations and government officials on ways to improve the scaling up of workforces and health systems infrastructure in both developing and developed countries. The release of this report comes just after the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA) statement on the announcements by the US and UK governments to provide support for increasing the numbers of health workers across four African countries.
Webcasts of the plenary sessions from this conference are also available. |
An intergovernmental organization established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society.
In March 2006, the IOM together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) held a seminar on Migration and Human Resources for Health: From Awareness to Action, in Geneva, Switzerland. You can download a copy of the summary report of the IOM Inter-Sessional Seminar on Migration and Human Resources for Health
Further details of the work of the IOM can be found on their website. |
The International Centre on Nurse Migration (ICNM) is a collaborative project launched by the International Council of Nurses and the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. Established in 2005, ICNM works to address gaps in policy, research and information with regard to migrant nurse workforce and serves as an international resource for the development, promotion and dissemination of documentation on nurse migration. |
Participation in Campaigns to Ban and Clear Landmines
WCPT will encourage all its Member Organisations to call on their governments to ban and clear landmines, as a result of a motion passed at the 14th General Meeting in Yokohama, in 1999.
Delegates voted unanimously to support a motion from the Australian Physiotherapy Association, also calling for the provision of appropriate rehabilitation facilities in those regions affected by landmines.
The full motion read: That WCPT support and encourage its Member Organisations to call upon their governments to actively support the following:
- bans on production, sale and use of landmines;
- the clearing of existing mines;
- the provision of appropriate physiotherapy and rehabilitation services in the regions affected
Further information on this topic can be found on the website of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
Regulation - NEW!
The first-ever inter-professional and international conference on the regulation of health professionals took place in Geneva, Switzerland on 17-18 May 2008. The conference was attended by more than 500 dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physical therapists and government officials. Delegates debated the critical importance of professional regulation as essential to safe, quality patient care. This conference was convened by the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA)* in collaboration with WCPT.
Download the press release issued at the conclusion of the conference; and access the programme and full webcast recording of the conference at www.whpa.org/reg Please note: these recordings may take several minutes to download, especially on slower internet connections.
*The World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) brings together dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy through their representative international organisations, the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), the World Dental Federation (FDI) and the World Medical Association (WMA) and represents more than 20 million health professionals worldwide.
Support and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) is an independent, international health professional organisation that promotes and supports the rehabilitation of torture victims and the prevention of torture through nearly 200 rehabilitation centres and programmes around the world.
Joint Programme on Workplace Violence in the Health Sector
The "Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector" are intended to support all those responsible for safety in the workplace, be it governments, employers, workers, trade unions, professional bodies or members of the public. The tool will guide you through the complexity of issues to be considered when developing anti-violence policies and strategies for all work-settings in the health sector. These can be adapted to meet local and national needs and constraints.
back to top
