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The head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, says countries in the Americas need to do more to train and keep nurses.
This warning comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) released its State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025. The report shows a big drop in nursing graduates—from 81 per 10,000 people in 2018 to just 24 in 2023.
This sharp decline is a serious problem for the future of nursing in the region. Already, 40% of countries in the Americas have fewer than the recommended 30 nurses per 10,000 people. Experts say there may be a shortage of 200,000 nurses in the region soon.
There are 7.4 million nurses in the Americas, making up 63% of all health workers. “Nurses are the backbone of health systems,” said Dr. Barbosa in a message for International Nurses Day. “They are vital to health teams.”
The report highlights unfair differences across the region. Some areas lack enough nurses, training programs, and fair working conditions. Many nurses face problems like long hours without clear rules, job insecurity, and no support for their mental health. These issues lead to nurses quitting and harm patient care and access to health services.
To fix this, countries are urged to invest more in nursing. This includes funding education programs, creating better work conditions, and protecting staff. “We need to make nursing a better and more respected career,” said Dr. Barbosa. He added that young people will only be drawn to the field if it is properly valued.
It’s also important to include nurses when making health policies. This helps improve training, job conditions, and rules around the profession.
“We must work together to make nursing strong for the future,” Dr. Barbosa said. “To all nurses: thank you for your dedication to our communities.”
PAHO is helping countries create better training and retention plans. It also supports nurse education through its online Public Health Campus and helps improve teaching and school programs.
Source: PAHO.
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