Who will play with WHO?

In May 2016 at the World Health Assembly of 194 member states the WHO announced the process of developing and launching Emergency Medical Teams as a critical component of the global health workforce concept.

Over 64 countries have either launched or are in the development stages of vetting accredited teams, both international and national, to provide surge support to national health systems through WHO Regional Organizations and the delivery of emergency clinical care to sudden-onset disasters and outbreak-affected populations.

To date, the United States has not yet committed to adopting the emergency medical team concept in funding and registering an international Field hospital level team.

In this peer-reviewed article future options available for health-related non-governmental organizations and the required educational and training requirements for healthcare provider accreditation are discussed.

More information:
Frederick M. Burkle, The World Health Organization Global Health Emergency Workforce: What Role Will the United States Play?, Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness (2016). DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2016.114

Provided by Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health