By Aderogba George
Dr Toyin Saraki, Founder and President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), on Wednesday called for greater investment in health workers to improve health outcomes in the country.
This was stated in a press release by Ms. Jennifer Eziuloh, Advocacy, Communications, and Campaign Manager for WBFA.
According to the statement, Saraki made the recommendation at an event in Abuja celebrating the successful conclusion of the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) 2024.
She noted the importance of investing in health workers, stressing that the GHWP is a transformative initiative aimed at optimising, building, and strengthening the health workforce.
She added that the programme is designed to support more resilient health systems in the post-pandemic era and advance progress towards Universal Health Coverage in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.
“Through its Health Partnership Initiative, GHWP fosters cross-border learning and capacity strengthening, ensuring that health professionals are well-equipped to provide high-quality care where it is needed most,” she said.
The statement also noted that the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) joined forces with various health partners to celebrate the successful conclusion of GHWP 2024.
The Nigeria sharing and learning event, led by in-country Grant Manager Ducit Blue Solutions in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, brought together experts, health partners, and institutions.
Dr Kamila Shoretire, Director of Health Planning, Research & Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, expressed her pride in the progress made in the health sector.
She stated that the country’s health workforce had been strengthened through the GHWP.
“Today, we celebrate not only our achievements but also the resilience and dedication of our healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly to deliver quality healthcare services to the Nigerian people.
“Let us continue to work together to build a stronger, more resilient health system for Nigeria,” Shoretire said.
She added that since the launch of GHWP, it had supported 14 health partners across Nigeria and trained 2,577 health workers in clinical skills, leadership, education, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in the UK, Ghana, and Kenya.
She noted that these efforts were already contributing to improved healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
During a panel session on sustainability and the impact of training interventions, Prof. Charles Ameh, Head of the Global Health Emergency Obstetric and Quality of Care Unit at LSTM, highlighted the programme’s success.
He noted the strong partnership between WBFA and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), which had led to the successful implementation of various initiatives.
“We have trained 95 consultants, 82 of them from the college. We also established two centres of excellence in Lagos and Abuja, fully equipped to reduce travel time for participants.
“Through our close collaboration with the college, we were able to tailor the training to reach more residents from affiliated institutions.
“Another key sustainability milestone is the integration of the Advanced Obstetrics Skills Course into the NPMCN curriculum,” Ameh said.
Mrs Estelle Mbadiwe, Founding Partner of Ducit Blue Solutions, emphasised the programme’s impact.
“This initiative, conducted in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health, began with a comprehensive scoping activity where we engaged multiple stakeholders working with health workers across Nigeria.
“We identified national priorities critical to strengthening the health workforce, advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and building a resilient healthcare system capable of meeting the country’s needs.
“Through the health partnership, LSTM, NPMCN, and WBFA have made a tangible impact, training 225 doctors in the Advanced Obstetrics Surgical Skills Course (AOSS).
“Centres of excellence have been established in Abuja and Lagos, with additional training sessions held in Kano and Enugu, strengthening the capacity of healthcare professionals across the country.
“By embedding the AOSS curriculum into postgraduate medical education, this initiative is securing long-term improvements in maternal and neonatal care, creating a stronger and more resilient healthcare system for Nigeria.
“This project is funded through the GHWP, supported by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), benefiting both the UK and partner country health sectors,” Mbadiwe said. (NAN)
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