(A Devex Feature)
By Barbara Stilwell, Kathryn Irwin
As COVID-19 continues its global spread, the unique role nurses play in keeping the world healthy has come into sharper focus. Any conversation about health systems-strengthening calls for a serious investment in the recruitment, education, leadership, and working conditions of nurses. Without this investment, achieving universal health coverage (UHC) will remain out of reach.
Nurses account for more than half of the world’s health workforce. There are just under 28 million nurses worldwide but more than 80% of them live and work in countries that account for half the world’s population.