产生超过200个独特的微博在短短一个hour, the recent Twitter chat on health systems in fragile and conflict affected states was a roaring success.

The hashtag #HSRFCAS enabled Twitter users to follow the conversation and add their points to a discussion focussed on: why health workforce strengthening is important in these settings; the role ofclose-to-community providers of health care; windows of opportunity in post-conflict settings; and ensuring adequate staffing duringconflict.

The Tweet chat was chaired by冲突和健康and was organized in conjunction with theThematic Working Group on Health Systems in Fragile and Conflict Affected States.

Discussion ranged over many topics. There was broad agreement that health care workers are only as effective as the system that supports them and that these workers are an integral part of the system.Management Sciences for Healthpointed out that medicines, supplies, and technology alone are insufficient without trainedhealth workersto use them. WhileAdvancing Partners and Communitiesmade the argument that health systems strengthening helps identify the structure and support systems required for community-based services in fragile and conflict affected settings.

Jhpiegopointed out that in fragile and conflict affected settings health workers do more than deliver basic services, as they deal with issues like sexual and gender based violence and mental health. Others mentioned their role in suicide prevention and psycho-social support more broadly.

Participants felt that research on workforce supply and distribution is needed to inform the rebuilding of health workforces post-conflict. With theFrontline Health Care Workers Coalitionpointing out that we need aglobal strategyto guide investments and address knowledge gaps.Kim Westreminded us all that strengthening human resources for health requires national leadership and policies.

Ensuring health worker safety was a dominant theme. WithIntraHealth Internationaltweeting, “Everyone deserves access to high-quality care that means access to ahealth workerwho can safely do their job – save lives!”Capacity Plusdrew attention to the disruption to the Syrian polio vaccination programme caused by attacks on health care workers.

Others pointed out that attacks on health care workers were probably under-reported and better data monitoring is needed. This led to discussions about how workers might best be protected.Sarah L. Dwyerdirected us to the recentUN resolutionthat recognizes for the first time the severity of attacks on health workers and demands that states respond.

There was lively discussion about the role of close-to-community providers.Joy Mariniof Johnson and Johnson explained that for some women, community health workers are the only health workers that they will ever see.The Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP)pointed out that empowered and trainedcommunityhealth workers can have expanded roles, providing the local community with important services. The1 Million Community Health Care Workers Campaignargued that they have the potential to support more stable societies.

Suzanne Fustukian, however, cautioned that expectations ofCHWsinpost conflicthealth systemscan be unrealistic where support and referral systems are lacking.Nicholas Teodorosummed up quite neatly the high regard that participants had for close-to-community providers, “Stakeholders. Cultural understanding. Local. Should be included in management and policy decisions. Heroes.”

Tim Martineau, one of the panellists, reflected on the event,

“I’ve never done a Tweet chat before, but this was really exciting and fun. More importantly it has helped to confirm the level of interest in ReBUILD’s area of research and enabled us to make more links and to have deeper conversations with policy makers, practitioners and other researchers about this research area. We’ve started many conversations which we will be taking forward over the coming months.

Please consider joining the Thematic Working Group,see the website for more detailsand remember look out for our Storify of the tweet chat next week!