[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 467 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 467
Recognizing the essential contributions of frontline health workers to
strengthening the United States national security and economic
prosperity, sustaining and expanding progress on global health, and
saving the lives of millions of women, men, and children around the
world.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 27, 2019
Mrs. Lowey (for herself and Mr. Diaz-Balart) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the essential contributions of frontline health workers to
strengthening the United States national security and economic
prosperity, sustaining and expanding progress on global health, and
saving the lives of millions of women, men, and children around the
world.
Whereas the estimated 140,000,000 people in 2017 affected by humanitarian
crises, including conflicts and natural disasters, was 200 percent
higher than 10 years prior;
Whereas frontline health workers are a critical and cost-effective component to
building country resilience and the capacity to save lives, foster
inclusive economic growth, and prevent and respond to humanitarian
crises and global health security threats from infectious diseases,
including Ebola;
Whereas frontline health workers include a range of occupations, such as
community health workers, midwives, nurses, pharmacists, doctors, and
surgeons;
Whereas the World Health Organization reports that the world will face a
shortfall of 18,000,000 health workers by 2030 without immediate and
concerted action, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, many
of which are in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and these are regions that
have the greatest share of the global disease burden and the highest
number of preventable deaths, and from which many emerging and
reemerging global health threats originate;
Whereas nations with healthy populations are more likely to be productive,
prosperous, and peaceful, while countries with poorer health are more
prone to instability, conflict, and extremism;
Whereas the United Nations Secretary-General's High-Level Commission on Health
Employment and Economic Growth found that health employment is a force-
multiplier for inclusive economic growth and that health investments
provide a nine-fold economic return;
Whereas frontline health workers are particularly crucial during natural or
complex emergency situations to saving lives and aiding communities to
recover, rebuild, and become more resilient;
Whereas health workers provide lifesaving care at great personal risk in
conflict settings;
Whereas, in 2018, at least 167 health workers were killed and 710 injured in
attacks, which occurred in at least 23 countries in conflict and impeded
access to essential health services for millions while exacerbating
refugee crises;
Whereas United States leadership and investment has led to dramatic successes in
global health, including the reduction of child mortality by 58 percent
and of maternal mortality by 44 percent from 1990 to 2017, the reduction
of new HIV infections by 36 percent from 2000 to 2017, and the decrease
in malaria mortality by 62 percent from 2000 to 2015, and this progress
has contributed to corresponding productivity and economic growth;
Whereas access to a well-trained, well-equipped, and well-supported frontline
health workforce is critical to the efficacy and sustainability of
United States global health programs;
Whereas frontline health workers are the first, and often only, link to health
services for millions of people living in low- and middle-income
countries and provide services where they are most needed, especially in
remote and rural areas;
Whereas frontline health workers too often work without the resources and
equipment they need to adequately protect themselves and their patients,
including personal protective equipment, clean water, decent toilets,
and handwashing facilities with soap;
Whereas partnerships with faith-based organizations, humanitarian
nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector in adequately
training, equipping, compensating, protecting, and supporting frontline
health workers help countries achieve progress toward global health
goals;
Whereas despite the key role of frontline health workers in improving health,
advancing peace and security, and spurring economic growth, the World
Bank and the World Health Organization estimate that at least half the
world's population lacks access to essential health services;
Whereas the Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth found that
increased health workforce employment is critical to saving lives,
spurring inclusive economic growth, and promoting women's empowerment,
as women comprise at least 70 percent of employment in the health and
social sectors, compared with about 40 percent across all sectors;
Whereas every day, more than 14,000 children die worldwide, mostly from
preventable causes, and 830 women die due to pregnancy or childbirth-
related complications;
Whereas every year, millions of people succumb to the ravages of AIDS,
tuberculosis, malaria, and other treatable and often preventable chronic
conditions; and
Whereas successful implementation of the United States global health
contributions and improved health and socioeconomic outcomes for those
served by these programs requires integrated, flexible, and cross-
sectoral programming: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms the central role of local frontline health
workforce teams in achieving the objectives of global health
programs administered by the Department of State, the United
States Agency for International Development, the Department of
Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, and other
relevant agencies, as well as multilateral institutions
supported by the United States;
(2) acknowledges that in the aftermath of natural
disasters, disease outbreaks, and conflict, frontline health
workers perform critical services under difficult working
conditions, often at great personal risk, to save the lives of
those without access to medicines, equipment, or safe water and
sanitation in many cases;
(3) urges greater global attention and support for local
frontline health workers to ensure their protection and ability
to respond effectively during humanitarian and public health
crises, including protection of frontline health workers and
populations in conflict-affected states from deliberate and
indiscriminate attacks and targeting;
(4) calls on all relevant Federal agencies to utilize
existing flexibilities to implement integrated and cross-
sectoral programming across global health accounts to
strengthen local frontline health workforce teams and the
systems supporting them with concrete targets and clear
accountability mechanisms to support delivery of resilient and
sustainable access to essential health services; and
(5) encourages all relevant Federal agencies to facilitate
collaborative learning between domestic and global frontline
health workforce-strengthening programs to improve
effectiveness and health outcomes, and to prioritize the
mobilization of additional private and public resources to
ensure that frontline health workers are able to address the
most acute issues to advance sustainable global health
progress.
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