We met some amazing health workers this year. They work hard every day to keep their communities healthy—and many put their lives on the line to do it.

Young people in Tanzania have a lot more opportunities and resources for learning about sex today than they did when Paul Mwakipesile was growing up, he says.

Agnes Masagwayi loves her job, but it hasn't always been easy. Fortunately, things are looking up for Uganda's health workers.

Maureen Kanyiginya is a young midwife with a gentle, confident presence. Sitting on a bench in a grassy area outside the rural health center where she works, in western Uganda, she says she loves helping mothers and delivering their babies. "I make mothers comfortable," she states firmly. "I'm a health worker."

I could begin every blog talking about the many countries, like Uganda, that find it challenging to build and maintain the kind of health workforce needed to deliver high-quality health services, particularly when faced with inadequate funding for human resources for health.

Last month, the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council introduced a web-based system for registering all the medical officers and dentists in the country.