What is the SECURE Health Act?
Project HOPE has sponsored a bipartisan bill to support global health workers. Here’s what you need to know.
Nearly half of the world’s population lacks access to essential health services, and the global shortage of health workers is projected to reach 11 million by 2030. Closing this gap will require urgent investment in well-trained frontline health workers who can deliver care in the communities that need it most — strengthening local systems while protecting Americans at home.
Project HOPE has co-sponsored a bill to improve U.S. investments in frontline health workers and strengthen global health security. Here’s what you need to know about the new bill and the difference it could make for millions of people worldwide.
What is the SECURE Health Act?
The Strengthening Capacity for Unified Response and Excellence in Health Act (SECURE) Health Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by lead sponsor Jen Kiggans (R-VA-2) and co-sponsor Ami Bera (D-CA-6) on March 18, 2026. When enacted, this important legislation would increase global health security, create more stable societies, and save lives by focusing U.S. support for frontline health workers.
The resolution complements the America First Global Health Strategy by improving and increasing the transparency, accountability, and efficiency of U.S. global health workforce investments.
The full text of the resolution is available here.
Who are the frontline health workers?
Frontline health workers are trained professionals who deliver essential prevention, treatment, and emergency services directly to individuals and communities. Most of them are women from the very communities they serve, reaching vulnerable patients with lifesaving services, basic health care, and health education.
For millions of people in low- and middle-income countries, frontline health workers are often the first and sometimes only point of contact within the health system.
Why is this legislation important? Why do we need to invest in frontline health workers?
As pandemic threats, climate-related displacement, and conflict-related health systems disruptions become more frequent, the role of frontline health workers has never been more vital.
Nearly half the world still lacks access to essential health services, and by 2030, the global health workforce is projected to face a shortfall of 11 million workers. Frontline health workers are often the only link to care for millions of people, serving as the first line of defense against disease outbreaks, promoting economic productivity, and strengthening global health security.
Investing in these workers is not just an investment in health — it is an investment in resilient communities and a safer, more equitable world.
Nearly half the world still lacks access to essential health services, and by 2030, the global health workforce is projected to face a shortfall of 11 million workers.
We have already seen the difference sustained investment can make. U.S. leadership in global health has driven remarkable progress over the past few decades. Between 1990 and 2020, child mortality fell by 60% and maternal mortality by 38%. New HIV infections declined by 31% from 2010 to 2020, and malaria-related deaths dropped 38% between 2000 and 2019.
Investing in the health workforce also delivers strong economic returns: Studies show that every $1 invested can generate up to $9 in economic benefit. Strengthening frontline health workers improves global health security by enabling earlier detection and faster response to disease outbreaks — reducing the risk of pandemics that could threaten U.S. safety and economic stability.
What will the SECURE Health Act do?
The U.S. is the largest single funder of health workers, outside of the host governments themselves. The SECURE Health Act would strengthen and better coordinate U.S. support for frontline health workers across global health and humanitarian programs.
It would address the global shortage of health workers by the expanding recruitment, strengthening training, and ensuring health workers are properly equipped, supported, and protected.
To improve efficiency across global health initiatives and reduce fragmented, single-disease investments, it would integrate U.S. investments in the health workforce across programs.
To ensure long-term sustainability, it would promote fair compensation for health workers through a shared financing approach that requires host country contributions and gradually transitions salary support to domestic financing. The Act would also establish a measurable five-year Global Health Workforce Strategy across all U.S. government global health investments that support health workers and would be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect evolving needs.
Effective coordination and accountability are also essential. The U.S. government would establish a Global Health Workforce Coordinator by appointing an existing senior official to oversee strategy implementation and resource allocation. An interagency task force would also be created to coordinate implementation and ensure alignment of global health workforce investments across U.S. agencies.
The Act also recommends that clear accountability mechanisms be established, including annual reporting requirements within the U.S. government and support for a biannual independent global report tracking funding, training, salaries, employment, and protection for the global health workforce.
What’s Project HOPE’s involvement in the SECURE Health Act?
Project HOPE worked with key Congressional offices and Frontline Health Workers Coalition to develop the SECURE Health Act. The Act is already endorsed by more than 30 organizations working in health around the world.
What’s next?
The bipartisan SECURE Health Act has been introduced in the House, and Project HOPE is currently urging Members of Congress to co-sponsor this critical legislation to help move it forward in the legislative process.
