Posted on: Fri 21-07-2017

The Minister of State for Health, Dr.Osagie Ehanire has called on Governments at all levels and Private sector alike to develop human resources that would enhance the provision of quality healthcare services in the country.

The Minister made this call in Abuja at the ongoing Human Resources for Health Conference organized by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with development partners with the theme: ‘‘Strengthening Human Resources for Health Towards Revitalization of Functional Primary Healthcare Centres in Nigeria’’. 

He explained that the Conference was convened to raise awareness on the health workforce challenges and issues hindering service delivery and the attainment of health national targets including the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to address the shortage of human resources in the health sector.

The Minister noted that all initiatives introduced to achieve Universal Health Coverage would be feasible if there were adequate human resources to render health services.

“All the initiatives to achieve Universal Health Coverage will be appropriate if the right number of people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time with the right attitude, provide the right service at the right cost. Strengthening the workforce is therefore a logical step in the right direction which is the main thrust for the 3rd National Human Resources for Health Conference 2017”.  Dr.Ehanire stressed.

The Minister however called on the participants to bring their wealth of experience to proffer solutions to the human resources challenges in the country.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Binta Adamu-Bello who was represented by the Director of Special Project, Dr. Ngozi Azodoh said that the objectives of the Conference was to identify and discuss how to overcome the most critical and pressing human resources for health challenges.

Also speaking at the event, the Director, Health Planning Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr.Akin Oyemakinde said that in 2010, the National Council on Health directed Federal, States and the FCT administration to establish Human Resources for Health Desk Office in the Ministry of Health adding that analysis conducted few years later revealed that many state have not  complied with the directive.

The report also revealed that most states did not quite understand the roles and responsibilities of Human Resource for Health Desk hence, hosting of Human Resources for Health Conference in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

Oyemakinde said: ‘’this Conference being the 3rd in the series will increase awareness on the scope and importance of Human Resource for Health among stakeholders at the National and State Levels.”

In her remarks, the National Programme Manager, Women for Health (W4H) (DFID Funded Programme), Dr. Fatimah Adamu said that W4H was aimed at training 6000 female health workers and to deploy them to the rural areas in the country.

Participants at the Conference were drawn from the 36states of the Federation  and the FCT.

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