Nearly 1,15,000 health and care workers have died due to Covid since the pandemic began last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, 24 May, hailing their sacrifice and asserting the need to protect and invest in healthcare workforce as a matter of urgency.

"They are humans like the rest of us. Many feel frustrated, helpless and unprotected, with a lack of access to personal protective equipment and vaccines, and the tools to save lives,” he added.

The 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) is taking place online from 24 May to 1 June.

"We owe them so much, and yet globally health and care workers often lack the protection, the equipment, the training, the decent pay, the safe working conditions and the respect they deserve. If we have any hope of achieving a healthier, safer, fairer future, every Member State must protect and invest in its health and care workforce as a matter of urgency," Ghebreyesus added.

He lamented that so many healthcare workers lost their lives in the last 18 months and many more will lose as long as the pandemic rages. Based on current trends, the number of deaths will overtake last year's total within the next three weeks, Ghebreyesus said.

Lauding healthcare workers' efforts, particularly through the pandemic, the WHO chief said: "Today I ask you not for a moment's silence, but to make the loudest noise you can. Please join me in clapping, shouting and stamping your feet for every health and care worker everywhere."

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT)