Today, Merlin is launching a two-year campaign to help address the health worker crisis in the developing world.

With a shortage of four million doctors, nurses and midwives around the world, Hands Up for Health Workers calls for investment in health staff to become a global priority.

Highlighting 57 countries dealing with critical health worker shortages, of which 36 are African, the campaign calls for funding to train additional staff needed and refresher training for those already working. It also asks for a regular living wage for health workers and incentives for them to work in remote or hostile environments.

Carolyn Miller, Chief Executive of Merlin said:

"With over 15 years experience providing health care to vulnerable people living in the most difficult, forgotten corners of the world, we know that investing in health workers must be the priority. Without skilled and motivated health workers, these countries are unlikely to achieve economic progress and social development."

Often working against the odds in countries caught up in conflict, health system collapse and disaster, health workers can work long hours without regular pay and with a demanding case load. In some areas, one health worker can shoulder the responsibility for up to 50,000 people. Those working in rural areas can suffer the most, struggling to get vital drugs and equipment and living miles away from their family and support network.

The campaign kicks off with an exhibition of photographs taken in the Central African Republic (CAR) by Panos photographer Frederic Courbet. The photographs document the reality of working in CAR where maternal mortality rates have doubled and 20 per cent of children die before their fifth birthday. Olga Yetikoua, a Nurse Supervisor born in the Central African Republic, currently works for Merlin in the remote Nana Gribizi District. She said:

"CAR has gone backwards. We don't even have the minimum level of health care anymore. I've spent most of my professional life in Bangui, the capital, cushioned against reality. Coming here I realised just how neglected our health services, and health workers, are."

Dr Mubashar Sheikh, the Executive Director of the Global Health Workforce Alliance, is the key speaker at the campaign launch, and will speak to selected partners and opinion formers at the event on 20th November at the Barbican in London. He said:

"The health worker shortfall is truly a global crisis. This is an exciting and challenging time in the movement to address the global health worker shortage, marked by increased political and financial commitment. We are seeing real progress on the ground - countries implementing successful models are reaping improvements in the health status of their populations. However, despite progress, the reality is still that in much of the world, an estimated one billion people have no access to basic health care. Increased and concerted action to overcome the health worker gap is needed today to meet the MDGs by 2015."

Merlin has created a dedicated microsite - handsupforhealthworkers.org - to support the campaign featuring articles, videos and photographs from the Central African Republic.

 Put your hand up for health workers