The University of Utah's Director of Global Health, Juan Carlos Negrette, recently served as the moderator to a panel discussion held at the Geneva Press Club during the World Health Organization's seventy-sixth World Health Assembly.
The event took place on May 24, 2023, and panelists included Dr. Lia Tadesse, the Minister of Health of Ethiopia; Dr. Idris Guessous, the Head of the Division of Primary Medicine at the University Hospitals of Geneva; Dr. Roopa Dhatt, the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Women in Global Health; and Traci L. Baird, the President and CEO of EngenderHealth.
The discussion highlighted the increasing global concern regarding healthcare worker well-being--specifically burnout. The panelists stressed the significance of tackling burnout and promoting resilience among healthcare professionals to uphold high-quality patient care, ensure safety, and prioritize the well-being of healthcare providers.
"If we don't center humanity, we will continue to fail humanity," said Baird.
They also discussed specifically how female healthcare workers in the United States leave the profession at higher rates than their male counterparts, further straining the healthcare system. In many places, "health is delivered by women, but lead by men" said Dhatt. The panel stressed the need to build greater equity in the system to support the health of all.
"We are honored to be part of this critical conversation and look forward to continuing to find ways to ease the burdens that so many healthcare professionals are facing," said Negrette.
Watch the full discussion below and learn more about the University of Utah Global Health here.