The United Kingdom and Nigeria have launched a joint initiative to modernize the health workforce’s professional capabilities.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate stated that the program was a part of the endeavor to realign the nation’s healthcare system and to close manpower shortages during the official launch of the health workforce training program in Abuja.
Additionally, he stated that the program will expedite the achievement of universal health coverage.
The minister said: “In addressing these identified gaps, the ministry has devised strategic priorities aimed at fortifying the health workforce and overall health system. These priorities include strengthening governance, stewardship and accountability of the workforce, enhancing the functionality of human resource for health information systems (HRHIS) for effective health workforce planning, ensuring production of sufficient number of health workers, optimising recruitment, utilisation, retention and performance of available health workers and reinforcing, coordination and partnership for human resources for health agenda.
“I am pleased to formally endorse the global health workforce programme. We recognise the potential of (GHWP) to align with our national health workforce strengthening agenda.”
The minister stated that the GHWP will be essential in tackling the nation’s health workforce issues and will be run by Tropical Health and Education (THET).It gives me great pleasure to publicly announce the opening of THET’s Global Health Workforce Program. This collaboration shows dedication to the same goals of achieving universal health coverage, a strong health workforce, and a resilient health system.
In his speech, the British High Commissioner—who was represented by Mrs. Ebere Anyachukwu—identified a few major obstacles to the success of the health sector reform movement, including a lack of qualified healthcare workers, a poorly diversified workforce, and an uneven distribution of healthcare workers across the nation.
He declared that in order to guarantee that health professionals acquire the necessary knowledge, abilities, and efficacy, the British government will assist Nigeria through the UK International Development Programme.
