Six states to benefit as UK commits £2m to boost Nigeria’s health workforce

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care has committed £2 million to improve the healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

In a statement on Tuesday, WHO said the fund will be used to strengthen the quality and number of health workers to achieve universal health coverage.

The organisation said the project will be implemented in six states and will last for two years.

“The grant amounting to £2 will cover two years period to support the government of Nigeria to optimize the performance, quality, and impact of the health workforce through evidence-informed policies and strategies,” the statement reads.

“The UK provided a multi-million-pound boost to support healthcare staff recruitment and retention in three African countries – Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana – supporting resilience against global health challenges.

“Nigerian health system like many countries in the global south has been beset with challenges in having a resilient health system that is able to provide quality health services, promote health and prevent diseases.

“The challenges have been further exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic which directly impacts the availability of health workers to provide quality services across the country.”

Richard Montgomery, British high commissioner to Nigeria, said the two-year project will focus on supporting the government at national and international levels including regulatory bodies, relevant stakeholders and professional associations to formulate transformative strategies.

“A skilled, well-motivated and adequate health workforce is critical for Nigeria to #EndPreventableDeaths and build resilience against global threats,” he said.

“This UK international development funding aligns with the Nigerian health workforce strategic plan and will help the country upskill its workers, and improve health outcomes in the long run.

“It will help to align investment in HRH with the current and future needs of the population and health systems; strengthen the capacity of institutions including regulatory bodies for effective public policy stewardship, leadership and governance, optimize health workers’ retention, equitable distribution, and performance and strengthen the management of health workforce data for monitoring and accountability.

“The project will implement interventions in Nigeria. Implementation at sub-national levels with a focus on 6 states of Cross River, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, and Lagos, will build on the presence and technical support being provided to state governments through the 37 WHO sub-national offices in Nigeria.”

Walter Mulombo, WHO representative in Nigeria, said the country needs adequate and competent health workers who are willing to perform and provide equal access to services.

“The strength of every health system reflects the capacity and adequacy of its health workforce, which are necessary to deliver quality services to address population health needs,” Mulombo said.

“Through the UK government’s generous support through WHO, we will deploy the technical support from the 3 levels of the organization to support the development of evidence-based policies and strategies, capacity building and management for improved planning and management of Nigeria’s health workforce.”