Report on Health Workforce Capacity Building and Advancement of Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Partnership for Health System Strengthening

In a significant multi-stakeholder partnership aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), the Ministry of Public Health and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) have collaborated on a series of training initiatives. These programs aimed to enhance the technical capacity of the health workforce, directly contributing to the achievement of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing relevant professional skills to approximately 1,300 health workers.

Enhancing Capacity for Disease Surveillance and Response

A primary focus of the training was to strengthen national capacities for early warning, risk reduction, and management of health risks, a key component of SDG Target 3.d. Health workers received instruction in critical areas, leading to measurable improvements in public health outcomes.

• Training Modules:
  1. Monitoring strategies and early case identification.
  2. Activation of control protocols for disease outbreaks.
  3. Implementation of early warning systems.
  4. Development of communication networks for immediate emergency response.
• Impact on Communicable Disease Control (SDG Target 3.3):
  • Increased technical capacity in epidemiological surveillance for diseases such as dengue, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, and measles.
  • Improved control and mitigation of disease spread.
  • Strengthened planning of preventive actions to minimize public health impact.
• Documented Successes:
  • Trained doctors successfully identified and treated meningitis, saving two lives.
  • Health workers effectively investigated suspected measles cases, confirming them as negative and preventing unnecessary public alarm.

Comprehensive Training for Holistic Health and Well-being

The program adopted a comprehensive approach, addressing a wide range of health priorities to advance SDG 3, particularly its targets on non-communicable diseases and universal health coverage.

Key Training Areas

• Non-Communicable Diseases (SDG Target 3.4): Training was provided for the control and prevention of hypertension and cervical cancer, as well as support for smoking cessation.
• Mental Health and Well-being (SDG Target 3.4): A focus was placed on mental health surveillance.
• Universal Health Coverage Components (SDG Target 3.8): Additional topics included hospital waste management, oral health, and quality of care and patient safety, which are foundational to a quality health system.

The impact of this training is evident in improved service delivery, especially in underserved areas, contributing to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Natalia Saucedo, responsible for the Dispensary Tekohá Y’ Apo of the Ava Guaraní Indigenous Community, stated, “Now I feel good, I feel happy, because if someone comes at night with high blood pressure, I have everything to attend to them. I also have the resources to provide first aid, and I can administer first aid.”

Strategic Planning for a Sustainable Health Workforce

To ensure long-term progress toward SDG Target 3.c (Substantially increase health workforce development), the 2024-2030 Health and Human Resources Training Plan for the XIV Canindeyú Health Region was developed with PAHO/WHO support.

Plan Objectives

• Strengthen Competencies: Emphasis on comprehensive health care with a life-course approach.
• Improve Care Models: Fostering skills for integrated, people-centred care and collaborative, networked working methods.
• Promote Knowledge Management: Dissemination of modern tools such as telemedicine and telehealth to support effective health service delivery.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This is the central theme of the article. It directly discusses strengthening the health workforce, controlling communicable and noncommunicable diseases, improving epidemiological surveillance, and enhancing the quality of care and patient safety.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article focuses on the training of health workers. It mentions that approximately 1,300 health workers participated in training courses, which enhanced their technical capacity and skills. This relates to vocational and professional training.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article highlights the impact of these health initiatives on indigenous communities. The testimony from a member of the “Ava Guaraní Indigenous Community” indicates that the program is reaching and improving healthcare access for marginalized populations.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article explicitly states that the training courses and the development of the Health and Human Resources Training Plan were “supported by PAHO/WHO” in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health. This demonstrates a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve health objectives.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.3: End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
   • The article mentions that training has improved the control and mitigation of diseases like “dengue, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, and measles.”
2. Target 3.4: Reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The article details training on the “control and prevention of noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension and cervical cancer; cessation of smoking; mental health surveillance.”
3. Target 3.c: Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries.
   • The entire article is about strengthening the health workforce, with a specific mention of “1,300 health workers” participating in training and the development of the “2024-2030 Health and Human Resources Training Plan.”
4. Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.
   • The text states that training covered “implementing early warning systems and communication networks for immediate responses to health emergencies” and activating “control protocols for disease outbreaks.”
5. Target 4.4: Substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • The training provided to 1,300 health workers directly increased their technical and vocational skills in areas like epidemiological surveillance and patient care, making them more effective in their jobs.
6. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… ethnicity… or other status.
   • The article provides a direct quote from a health worker in the “Ava Guaraní Indigenous Community,” demonstrating that the health services and resources are being extended to include indigenous populations.
7. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships.
   • The article clearly identifies the partnership between the “Ministry of Public Health” and “PAHO/WHO” as the driving force behind the training and planning initiatives.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of health workers trained: The article explicitly states that “Approximately 1,300 health workers participated in Ministry of Public Health training courses.” This is a direct indicator for progress on strengthening the health workforce (Target 3.c) and skills development (Target 4.4).
• Improved control of communicable diseases: The article mentions improved control of “dengue, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, and measles.” An implied indicator would be the reduced incidence or faster containment of these diseases following the training (Target 3.3). The follow-up on suspected measles cases that proved negative is a concrete example of the system working.
• Capacity to manage NCDs: The quote, “if someone comes at night with high blood pressure, I have everything to attend to them,” implies an increased capacity and availability of resources at the local level to manage noncommunicable diseases like hypertension (Target 3.4).
• Implementation of early warning systems: The training on “activating control protocols for disease outbreaks, and implementing early warning systems” is an indicator of strengthened capacity for health emergency preparedness (Target 3.d).
• Lives saved: The article states, “doctors were able to recognize and treat meningitis, saving the lives of two patients.” This is a direct qualitative and quantitative indicator of the training’s impact on health outcomes (SDG 3).
• Adoption of knowledge management tools: The promotion and dissemination of “virtual tools, telemedicine, and telehealth” is an indicator of modernizing health service delivery and strengthening the health system (Targets 3.c and 3.d).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: paho.org