GLOBAL SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN BRINGS IN YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EMERGING COUNTRIES WHERE ECONOMIES ARE BOOMING BUT MILLIONS OF CHILDREN STILL DYING
Campaigners will warn world leaders on Thursday August 11 via social media that they have just 3.5 million seconds to commit to closing the 3.5 million global health workers gap.
With time running out for the Millennium Development Goals to be met, governments need to use this year’s UN General Assembly meetings on 20 September – 3.5 million seconds away – to make firm commitments to boost the number of health workers to save lives.
On Thursday August 11, to mark the 3.5 million second countdown, a fun new avatar is launched whereby people across the world show their solidarity with the campaign by changing their social media profile picture to a health worker “superhero” – and automatically messaging their friends to do the same.
Over 100,000 people are expected to make an avatar, engaging young people across the world, especially emerging countries where use of social media has rocketed such as India and Nigeria and yet millions of children still die from preventable causes. By developing online platforms and fun ways to participate, the campaign is helping to engage a new generation in emerging countries in social activism.
Campaigners have harnessed social media to put pressure on world leaders. The #healthworkers# has already reached two million people globally and over a million people have shown their support on or offline by signing petitions, going on marches or attending concerts or other fun events promoting the cause.
Over 250 organisations from across the world including, including Save the Children, have come together for the joint call to action.
More than 40 million children do not receive even the most basic care. 8 million children still die every year before their fifth birthday. With enough health workers, given proper support and equipment, most of these deaths would be prevented.
Meanwhile supporters are also spreading the message in a visually dramatic ways by taking the world’s biggest plaster (measuring a huge 5m by 1.5m) around the world, stopping off in Liberia, Tanzania, China and London.
With less than six weeks to go to the UN meeting, campaigners want other countries to follow example of Germany which has agreed $3.1m to help fund new health workers and Norway which is per capita the most generous donor for health. Developing countries like Vietnam and Sri Lanka, by investing in health workers, have achieved impressive child survival rates. As these examples show, progress is possible with political will.
The world needs 3.5 million more health workers, the campaign needs you. Have fun becoming a superhero at healthworkerscount.org, get your friends involved, and help the campaign for health workers, better supported, so more lives can be saved.
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