World Health Day is celebrated every year, on the 7th of April by the 191 member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO). The theme of World Health Day 2006 is "Working together for Health". It provides us with the opportunity to appreciate the remarkable contribution made by health care workers in the country. Today, we want to honour our health workers, as they are the most important resources that we have within the health system.

National health systems all over the world are experiencing difficulty in training and retaining their health workers. No country is immune from this problem. Developed countries are experiencing huge shortages of health care workers due to factors such as the aging of the population in industrialized countries and an increase in chronic conditions such cardiovascular disease, cancers and diabetes. This increased demand for healthcare workers in developed countries is often met by recruitment from developing countries, which in turn puts a strain on their health systems and resources.

Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in our nursing population. It is estimated that there are currently 126,000 vacant nursing positions in the United States. Our highly qualified nurses from the Caribbean are attracted to the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada for better salaries and working conditions, resulting in many vacancies at home. Here in Antigua, we have an excellent school of nursing, and currently 60 students are enrolled in the three year programme. Approximately one third of them will graduate this year. While our nursing school offers a first-rate training programme, the number of nurses graduating is not currently sufficient to meet our local needs, while also allowing for some inevitable migration. It is for this reason that we have turned to other countries such as Cuba to fill the nursing shortage. The Government is also examining the possibility of overseas nursing schools providing training in Antigua to alleviate this shortage.

Without a strong health workforce, advances in health care cannot reach and benefit the people who need them. Our capacity to respond to the avian influenza epidemic, our efforts to reach the millennium development goals, to respond to the HIV pandemic and to address priority diseases are all threatened by workforce shortages. The shortage is not limited to health practitioners but extends to educators, trainers, managers, and support staff.

Solutions to this crisis must be worked out at local, national and international levels and involve governments, the United Nations, health professionals, non governmental organizations and community leaders. Improving health capacities is not a quick or easy task. Through the Pan American Health Organization, the Americas will commit to a decade of Health Resources. During the next ten years, governments and stakeholders are urged to make human resource development a priority in the health strategies and to commit political will, intervention activities and financial resources to provide what our health workers need most:

• Academic education
• Professional training
• Fair Compensation
• Safe and healthy working conditions
• Supportive policies

Professional training is essential and health personnel from Antigua and Barbuda continue to be trained both locally and overseas. Nurses recently traveled to Jamaica to receive further training at the University Hospital of the West Indies. We continue to offer training locally and have recently provided health care workers with training in the Voluntary Counseling and Testing for HIV. This training is very important so that we can provide comprehensive care, treatment and support to persons living with HIV. Community nurses have also recently been trained to take pap smears, which is vital for the prevention and control of cervical cancer.

We also continue to focus on the health centres, and are in the process of rebuilding Grey's Farm Clinic. Last year, Johnson's Point clinic was opened and is now fully functional with a pharmacy service.

We recognize the doctors and nurses and also administrative and support staff in the Ministry of Health. We also want to express our appreciation to the staff from the many different divisions that make up the Ministry of Health. These include the Central Board of Health, Medical Division, Holberton Hospital, the Mental Hospital, the Fiennes Institute, Health Information Division, Health Education Unit, the School of Nursing, and the AIDS Secretariat. In addition, we recognize the contribution to health made by the staff of the National Solid Waste Management Authority and the Medical Benefits Board.

In particular, I want to acknowledge the cleaners, cooks, orderlies, grave diggers and laundry workers. Many work tirelessly with little recognition. These are our everyday heroes, people who work in the background. Today we are honouring them and thanking them for their valuable contribution towards the health of the people of Antigua and Barbuda. This week, every health care worker will receive a certificate of appreciation from the Ministry of Health.

Today, we especially want to recognize the health care workers in Antigua and Barbuda who have given 30 years or more of service. On behalf of the Government of Antigua I want to thank you for your loyalty. Your commitment and dedication are sincerely appreciated. We trust that each employee will continue to work hard and play their part in the delivery of health care to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.

Throughout the week, the Ministry of Health has organized a programme of events leading up to World Health Day 2006. Last Sunday, a church service was held to recognize health care workers. On Monday, I participated in an exchange work programme and had the opportunity to spend several hours working in the casualty department of Holberton Hospital. I experienced first hand the incredible daily stress placed on our medical and other staff. Today we want to honour you and thank you.

We also visited Barbuda to honour the health care workers on our sister island. We had the opportunity to meet with the Honourable Trevor Walker, and the Chairman and Secretary of the Barbuda Council. We were able to tour the Hanna Thomas hospital and present certificates to all the health care workers there.

Last night, a banquet was held at Jolly Beach Hotel to honour health care workers who have given 30 or more years of service to the health system. Each of the awardees and retirees received a gift as a token of our appreciation.

This morning, staff from the Ministry of Health started the day with a Walk for Health. At 10 oclock this morning we will be hosting a mini Health Fair at the Ministry of Health Headquarters, which will be open to the public.

Please join me today in honouring and thanking our health care workers. Let us remember the theme: "Working together for health". We each have our role to play and by working together as a team we can greatly improve the health services that we offer to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.