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Health and Social care services

Quality health care is important to families, societies and the economy – because healthy workers are more productive. The PSI – which represents 8 million health care workers – believes that care must be available to people who need it, not just to those who can pay. Health care is dangerous work. These workers, and the services they provide, are worthy of everyone’s support. Read more

Quality Revolution in Health Care; Fundamental for Achieving SDGs

27 September 2018

The report of the Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems in the SDG era (HQSS) shows quite clearly that the universal health coverage strategy is not sufficient to improve health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Provision of good-quality health care is essential for the attainment of sustained improvement in health outcomes and the full realisation of the human right to health.

Liberian nurses removed from the payroll system

25 September 2018

Many trained and qualified nurses in Liberia, most of whom are members of PSI affiliate NAHWUL, are on a continuous struggle to get their names on the nation’s payroll system, while others, whose names have been wrongly erased from the system, race against time to resolve the “ghost” status tagged to their names in the system.

Not A Target: Public Services International (PSI) condemns the killing of Saifura, a health worker in Borno, Nigeria

19 September 2018

PSI condemns the killing by Boko Haram, in Borno state, Nigeria, of 25-year old Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa, a registered midwife who worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Norwegian affiliate press charges against private health company

21 August 2018
Mette Nord, President of Fagforbundet.

"This is a very serious matter, where a large and professional private health company has taken advantage of our members," says Mette Nord, President of Fagforbundet.

Barbados: Pilot study on gender–based violence in the Public Sector

31 July 2018
Stakeholders' meeting on Barbados pilot study on GBV@Work

PSI’s sub-regional office for the Caribbean, together with its two affiliates in Barbados, have entered into a research partnership with the University of the West Indies to carry out a pilot study which will focus on the health and social services sector.

30 000 nurses on strike in New Zealand

12 July 2018

The 24-hour strike began on Thursday, and comes after months of negotiations between the government and nurses broke down on Wednesday. Nurses said they were overworked and underpaid, with unsafe working conditions leading to burnout and exhaustion.

“We can get stuck here for quite a while” - Reflections from a visit to an IDP Camp in Nigeria

09 July 2018

PSI, in partnership with and through the support of its affiliate ASSR, and Union to Union, Sweden, went to visit one of the largest camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The activity was part of a new project launched this year on Building Trade Union Capacity to Defend the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Quality Public Services in Nigeria.

Public service unions stand in solidarity with Nepalese civil servants’ rights at regional meeting in Kathmandu

29 June 2018

Public sector trade union representatives from across the Asia Pacific region met from 27-29 June in Kathmandu, Nepal. The meeting is part of the global union federation PSI’s five-year strategic planning to achieve a better world for all, one that places people over profit.

#NotATarget: The lives of health workers in Gaza must be protected

15 June 2018

PSI urges all affiliates to call on the governments of their countries to take immediate action to stop the targeting of health workers in conflict zones in general and Gaza in particular. Health workers are #NotTargets.

Martha was on the forefront of the fight against Ebola. Now she is worried if Liberia will be able to handle another outbreak.

08 June 2018

Nurse Martha Morris, 35, worked in a public hospital in her hometown when the Ebola virus raged through Liberia. She gave up a lot to fight for better working conditions for health workers. It's a cause she thinks is worth continuing to fight for.

Ebola outbreak in DRC : Healthworkers must be protected

30 May 2018

The death of a nurse as a result of the latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo highlights the urgent need for health workers to be protected in their work.

Right to Health - Issue 04 (April/May 2018)

09 May 2018

Get the latest global news on health and social care services. People over Profit! #PublicHealth4All. Right to Health newsletter Issue 04 (April/May 2018).

PSI Celebrates Ghana’s 2018 Best Worker, Donald Gyimah of the HSWU

04 May 2018

On May Day, Comrade Donald Gyimah, a member of PSI’s affiliated union the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) in Ghana, was announced as the 2018 National Best Worker.

Zimbabwe's sacked nurses return to work

02 May 2018

Around 16,000 nurses in Zimbabwe resumed work bringing to an end one week of strikes that affected health services in the country.

Decent Work for Health for All

27 April 2018

The health workforce is the backbone of the health and social care delivery system. Achieving health for all requires universal access to a well-motivated health and social workforce, globally. The World Health Organization noted that there will be a shortfall of 18 million health and social workers by 2030 if urgent steps are not taken immediately. And that would make it impossible for universal health care to be instituted, as envisaged in Agenda 2030.

Pre-decision & information kit: Leaving South Africa to work in a foreign country

26 June 2013
Cover page South Africa PDK

Globalisation is offering increased opportunities for skilled people to migrate and while there are many opportunities, there are also many challenges to look out for.

World Health Worker Week Engagement Toolkit

04 April 2013
A health worker and a patient walking together, smiling

In many countries, access to health care is limited and people living in rural areas often have the hardest time accessing the most basic health services. This toolkit, created for World Health Worker Week 2013, offers some ideas that can help your organisation to encourage greater apprciation and support of health workers and show your community that health workers count.

Working for the alternative: Implementing PSI's mandate in 2013 and beyond

19 March 2013

The 2012 PSI World Congress provided a framework for Public Services International's discussions and decisions. However, it is necessary to focus priorities. This document presents a detailed implementation plan for PSI's mandate in 2013 and beyond.

Sharp sense - Promoting the safety of healthcare workers

14 March 2013
Cover from the DVD and accompanying booklet Sharp Sense

This is the discussion guide for the PSI DVD Sharp Sense, in which a counsellor, a nurse and a physician each talk openly about the needlestick injuries they sustained, how they faced the possible consequences for their health, for their families and for their communities, and how their lives were transformed.

Tags: 
Health
OHS

PSI Congress Resolutions

12 March 2013

Resolutions adopted at the 29th World Congress of Public Services International, held in Durban, South Africa, 27-30 November 2012. The resolutions are available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Japanese and Russian.

Public sector unions combating HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa

11 March 2013

Public Services International and UNISON, UK, held a three-year joint project in South Africa from 2008-2011. The project, to strengthen public sector trade union response to HIV and AIDS engaged 34 PSI affiliates in 11 countries in good practice sharing and implementation.

Tags: 
Health
Trade union development
HIV/AIDS

Resolution 35: Migration Project

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI), meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 14: The global fight-back against austerity

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI), meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 13: Taxation

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI), meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 3: Building a disaster-resilient society through the enhancement of public services

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI), meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 9: Health sector

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI)
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 7: Universal access to healthcare

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),
meeting in Durban, South Africa, on 27-30 November 2012

Resolution 34: PSI Sector Networks

30 November 2012

The 29th World Congress of Public Services International (PSI),

Migration: South Africa National Report

24 November 2012

The research gives voice to the experiences and needs of health and social care workers. It provides first-hand evidence to support trade union advocacy on behalf of health and social care workers. This report on the situation in South Africa is part of a global research project being carried out by PSI affiliates in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and the Philippines, and in other origin and destination countries around the world.