Working For Health
World Health Day 2006
April 7

Trabajando por la Salud
Día Mundial de la Salud
7 de abril

Travailler pour la Santé
Journée mondiale de la Santé
7 avril

Trabalhando para a saúde
Dia Mundial da Saúde
7 de abril

A Video Tribute to Health Workers
Click here to watch

This year, the annual World Health Day celebration will honor health workers – the most valuable resources we have for health. The Pan American Health Organization and countries throughout the Americas will join the World Health Organization in observing World Health Day with events throughout the week of April 3-7, ending with a special session on Friday, April 7.

Este año, la celebración anual del Día Mundial de la Salud honrará a los trabajadores de salud – los recursos más valiosos que tenemos para nuestra salud. La Organización Panamericana de la Salud y los países en las Américas se asociarán a la Organización Mundial de la Salud para festejar el Día Mundial de la Salud el viernes, 7 de abril, continuando con diversos eventos durante "La Semana de la Salud en las Américas" (7-14 de abril).

Cette année, la célébration annuelle de la Journée mondiale de la Santé honorera le personnel sanitaire - la ressource la plus inestimable que nous prenons pour notre santé. L'Organisation panaméricaine de la Santé et les pays des Amériques se joindront à l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé en célébrant la Journée mondiale de la Santé le vendredi 7 avril, avec d'autres événements durant la semaine de 3-7 avril.

Este ano, a celebração anual do Dia Mundial da Saúde honrará os recursos mais valiosos que temos para a nossa saúde: os profissionais de saúde. A Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde e os países das Américas se associarão à Organização Mundial da Saúde para comemorar o Dia Mundial da Saúde com eventos em toda a semana de 3 a 7 de abril, culminando com uma sessão especial na sexta-feira, dia 7 de abril.

Press Releases

Calendar of Events

Health Week in The Americas - Events in Washington, DC
( MS Excel - 35KB)
Events at U.S. Associations and Organizations
( MS Word, 60KB)
Events at U.S. Universities
( MS Word, 51KB)
Events in Latin America and the Caribbean
( MS Word - 95KB)

Panels/Presentations

"Contributions of human resources to health"
Tuesday April 4, 2006 - Coordinator: Silvina Malvarez

Opening remarks
Pedro E. Brito - Health Systems Strengthening PAHO/WHO
The role of human resources in the achievements of health objectives
Conference by Dr. Derek Yach - Rockefeller Foundation
The role of human resources in the achievements of health objectives
Questions and answers
Contributions and challenges of human resources in the success of the priority health programs
Panel:
John Ehrenberg - Unit of Disease Prevention and Control
Elsa Moreno - Area of Family and Community Health
Carol Vlassoff - HIV Program
Jorge Rodríguez - Unit of Mental Health and Special Programs
Moderator: Charles Godue - Unit of Human Resources for Health
Contributions and challenges of human resources in the success of the priority health programs (cont.)
Commentators:
André Medici - Inter American Development Bank
Rita Carty - George Mason University
Roberta Geidner-Antoniotti - Whitman-Walker Clinic
Closing remarks
Charles Godue - Unit of Human Resources for Health - PAHO/WHO

"Public Health Workforce: Prospects for Its Development"
Tuesday April 4, 2006

The American Public Health Assocation (APHA) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) partnered with PAHO to present a discussion on the public health workforce. Discussions included the U.S. experience in enumeration and the lessons learned, the challenges facing the public health workforce—namely the effect of aging on the global workforce, and managing the quality of services delivered in public health—through information sharing and higher education. A specific example of the public health workforce challenges dealing with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa was addressed.

Panelists:

Kristine M. Gebbie, Director, Center for Health Policy, Columbia University
Barbara J. Hatcher, Interim-Secretary General, WFPHA
Gilbert Kombe, Senior HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor, Abt Associates, Inc.
Marjorie A. Cahn, Head of the National Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR), National Library of Medicine
Michael D. Malison, M.D., MPA, Director, Sustainable Management Development Program, Coordinating Office for Global Health

"Addressing the HR Crisis Through a Systems Approach"
Wednesday April 5, 2006 - Moderator: Dr. Estelle Quain

Welcome and Introductions
Dr. Charles Godue - Unit Chief, Human Resources for Health, Pan American Health Organization
The complexity of pooling adequate resources to address this challenge in a comprehensive and sustainable way
Dr. Estelle Quain - Senior Development Advisor, Office of HIV/AIDS, USAID/Bureau of Global Health
A leadership model that can support HR country strategies and sustain solutions over time
Dr. Elena Decima - Principal Program Associate, Leadership, Management and Sustainability Project, Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
Human Resources for Health (HRH) Framework and How it Applies in the Context of Country Experience
Dr. James McCaffery - Technical Director, Capacity Project, Intra-Health, Training Resources Group (TRG)
Closing Remarks
Dr. Charles Godue

"Tips on Staying Healthy - Fact and Fiction"
Thursday April 6, 2006

Presentation by: Dr. Gary Koritzinsky, Medical Director, Pan American Health Organization

Technical/Background Information

World Health Day 2006 Page
on WHO's Web Site

All about World Health Day 2006
( MS Word, 56KB)
World Health Day 2006 - Facts & Figures
( MS Word, 85KB)
The Role of Human Resources for Health (HRH) Unit at PAHO
( MS Word, 64KB)

Everyday Heroes: Celebrating the Contribution of Health Workers

An important part of this week of health is the recognition of Everyday Heroes. We encourage local communities and national governments to select small teams throughout the country who exemplify the diverse and hard-working health care providers.

We are encouraging the countries to select teams of individuals who otherwise would not receive any recognition or notice. We would like to underscore that this year we will focus our attention not on the high-profile, celebrated leaders that one thinks of initially as “heroes,” but on the everyday individuals who give so much and expect so little in return. The countries will select these individuals and teams and stage ceremonies to recognize them publicly in the country and internationally.