Health
Nurse & Midwife #PayitForward Challenge
According to the World Health Organization and the World Bank, 40 million new health and social care jobs must be created globally by 2030 to meet Sustainable Development Goal 3 of universal health coverage. There is a need for 18 million additional health workers, primarily in low-resource settings, to attain high and effective coverage of the broad range of health services necessary to ensure healthy lives for all.
Of the world’s 43.5 million healthcare professionals, more than 20 million are nurses and midwives. Often they are the first and only healthcare professionals people will see, especially in low and middle-income settings. And while 2020 was designed as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife by the World Health Assembly, over 65% of WHO Member States report to have less than 50 nursing and midwifery personnel per 10 000 population.
Though globally, it is estimated that by 2030, the shortage of nurses and midwives will reduce from the current 9 million to 7.6 million, the shortage in the African and Eastern Mediterranean Regions will actually worsen. Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa have fewer than 20 nurses for 10,000 people. The region is home to 1.07 billion people representing ~15% of the global population, yet it carries 24% of the global burden of disease and has only 3% of the world’s health workforce. Nurses and midwives can make a significant impact in managing and preventing the leading causes of death in the region. These are infectious diseases, conditions affecting newborn babies and mothers, and nutritional conditions. They provide primary and community care, enable disease prevention and health promotion programs.
On the flip side, youth unemployment and equal access to both men and women to jobs and growth opportunities remains a global issue. According to ILO’s 2020 report on global youth employment trends, around 497 million young people, or roughly 41 per cent of the global youth population, are in the labour force. Of these, ~68 million are looking for, and are available for, work (these are defined as unemployed). Another ~41 million are in the potential labour force, meaning that they are either available for a job but not looking for one, or that they are searching but are currently unavailable to take up a job.
In Tanzania for example, only less than 10% of the workforce gets access to higher education and continuous adult life-long learning, while the rate of youth unemployment shows an alarmingly growing rate. According to the International Labour Organization young women tend to be more disadvantaged than young men in access to work and experience worse working conditions than their male counterpart, and employment in the informal economy or informal employment is the norm. What if mentorship as a vehicle for career orientation, life-long professional growth and support can help close this huge dual gap?
We at Manatee Mentor believe that inclusive mentorship can help support close this huge gap – in both supporting young professionals in getting access to jobs as health professionals but also in having equitable opportunities for a life-long education and growth.
Remote mentoring through Manatee Mentor’s digital app will remove both physical and access barriers. Midwives and nurses will be able to access remotely capacity building opportunities, have an opportunity to continuously support each other and build their own trusted local and international network of fellow practitioners. The #PayItForward Challenge will have the potential to inspire young women and men to pursue a new professional path as health practitioners supporting their local communities and themselves a the same time.
Let’s help nurses and midwives connect anywhere around the world and support each other through equitable remote mentorship.
About the author:
Lucy Setian is one of the founders of MANATEE. In her day job she leads HealthTech Innovation at the Novartis Foundation, responsible for the strategy and implementation of Digital & AI programs in low- and middle income settings. Throughout her intra and entrepreneurial path, Lucy has held different leadership roles with a focus on corporate strategy and business development, digital project and program management, innovation through technology, marketing and communications across different industries. She is passionate about driving positive societal impact with the help of technology and helping the growth of both organizations and individuals.
