The Federal Government has called on state governments to prioritise the employment of healthcare workers, particularly in rural areas.
It noted that while the country faces the challenge of inadequate health workers due to brain drain, there is an imbalance in workforce distribution between the urban and rural areas.
The government, however, urged governments at the state and local levels to invest in the employment and remuneration of health workers in rural areas.
The Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, on Thursday, disclosed this while speaking at a press briefing in Abuja in commemoration of the World Health Day and the World Health Organisation’s 75th anniversary.
WHD is celebrated annually on April 7 and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The theme for this year is ‘Health For All.’
April 7 also marks the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organisation in 1948.
WHO was founded based on the principle that everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, regardless of their race, religion, political belief, or economic or social condition.
Ehanire said, “Measures we are taking here include making the rural areas, particularly the primary health care rural facilities more attractive. The second incentive is to focus on the community health workers, whose training will be specialised to be tuned to rural areas.
“So, this is a call on state governments and even the private sector to establish schools of health technology where people will be trained as rural health workers.”
The Country Representative of the WHO, Dr Walter Mulombo, in his remarks, said, “I join the government and other stakeholders to commend the efforts of health workers and all those working hard to keep us healthy.
“WHO joins the call for more investment in human resources for health, by increasing pre-service training, and implementing strategies to attract, retain and ensure optimal performance of highly motivated health workers in Nigeria.
“As we look forward to building a stronger WHO that delivers results and is enabled and empowered to play its leading role in global health, let me assure you that WHO will continue to support Nigeria to promote health, provide health, protect health, power health and perform for health.”
On her part, the United Nations Population Fund Resident Representative, Ms. Ulla Mueller said that World Health Day serves as a reminder that innovative ideas and new ways of reimagining primary health care with highly resourced Human Resources for Health.
“As Nigeria strives to address the economic and social crisis brought on by the pandemic, humanitarian crisis, and imminent climate conditions, the World Health Day serves as a reminder that innovative ideas and new ways of reimagining primary health care with highly resourced Human Resources for Health, which is sine qua non to building back better.
“We need a strengthened health system that is resilient, people-centred, and user-friendly with HRH adorned with warmth, compassion, and spirit of egalitarianism,” she said.
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