Professor Christine Duffield attended this meeting along with more than 220 nurses, midwives, physicians and other professionals from 20 countries. This network of nursing and midwifery centres of excellence seeks to support the WHO agenda for health through its programme of work and through collaboration with the WHO regional and global nursing offices. A presentation delivered at the conference highlighted WHO CC UTS Regional HRH Projects. From this meeting the Ribeirao Preto Commitment to Action endorsed:
Recognition that progress in achieving the Alma Ata goal of health for all has been mixed. Considerable advances have been made but many gaps and inequities still exist.
They applauded and joined in the United Nations commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), recognizing that several of these goals depend on successful Primary Health Care delivery by qualified personnel.
They committed to:
- Lead delivery of primary health care in all settings of health education and care practice.
- Ensure care is delivered consistent with quality and safety standards in health systems.
- Develop an educational framework that supports advanced practice roles and regulations.
- Prepare health professionals to work in interdisciplinary teams to support primary health care.
- Promote information and knowledge production that contributes to the development of health systems based on PHC through articulated research, education and service actions.