WHD 2023: Nigerian Government plans to make PHCs attractive to medical workers, others –Minister

*Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Minister for Health, reveals the Federal Government is intensifying efforts at making rural primary healthcare centres more attractive to medical personnel with building staff quarters, provision of water, electricity or solar energy, as well as ambulances among there incentives

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Amid the reported worrisome brain drain affecting the significant health sector of the economy, the Federal Government of Nigeria has said it has out in place measures to make Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) in rural areas attractive for health workers.

ConsumerConnect reports Dr. Osagie Honourable Minister for Health, stated this in Abuja, FCT, during the World Health Day.

1. The theme of the 2023 World Health Day (WHD) is, ”Health for All –Strengthening PHC to Build Resilient Systems”, while the theme of the World Health Workers Week is “Investing in the Health Work Force”.

The Minister said the Nigerian health workers preferred to practise in cities, thereby depleting manpower pool in healthcare facilities in rural areas.

Ehanire stated: “Government is trying to make rural PHCs more attractive, as plans have

been put in place to build staff quarters to address accommodation problems.

“The lack of staff quarters has been a problem because health workers don’t have a place to stay when sent to rural areas.”

He also revealed the government “will ensure provision of water, electricity or solar energy to have light in the centres for better performance to encourage health worker to stay in the rural areas.

“We are also making provision for ambulances that will make transportation easy for patients and health workers.”

Another incentive from government, Ehanire noted, is to focus on particular caregivers of health workers that are specialised in a particular area.

According to him, the Federal Government has urged state and local governments to establish schools of health technology where rural health workers would be trained.

He further explained that the workers could be trained in local languages to enable them to easily communicate with the rural citizens.

The Federal Government also encourages the state and local governments to nominate health workers from their communities to be trained for better understanding and improved communication.

The minister disclosed the government is planning to make use of digital technology to make communication easier for medical personnel and patients to enhance better outcome.

He stated: “We hope that all our measures will encourage the state and local governments to prioritise employment and payment of rural health workers, especially the PHC workers.

“This is because PHCs are under the payroll of state and local governments.”

The Federal Government, in a bid to reverse poor health indices and provide Universal Health Coverage, initiated the revitalisation of about 10,000 PHCs nationwide, adding that more than 4,000 PHCs have so far been worked to ensure quality services, said he.

The Minister added that proactive measures the government has taken have improved PHC services and reduced challenges women face in childbirth and addressed home emergencies in Nigeria.

WHO, Nigeria have achieved notable strides: Country Rep

Dr. Walter Mulombo, WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, has said that WHO Nigeria in collaboration with the government had been achieving notable strides in keeping the people safe and serving vulnerable population, agency report said.

Mulombo listed areas of achievement to include combatting infectious disease, HIV treatment, reducing maternal mortality, increase in life expectancy, and supporting disease eradication.

The Country Representative said: “In 1948, countries around the world came together and founded WHO to

promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health and well-being.”

According to him, the global health organisation is supporting Nigeria to interrupt circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2) cVDPV2 outbreak.

In 2022, there was 84 percent reduction in cVDPV2 registered compared with

2021, Mulombo stated.

He explained: “In recent times, WHO supported Nigeria in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“As of April 3, 2023, 71.1 percent of eligible population have been vaccinated with at least one dose.”

He also noted that the organisation had been supporting the Nigerian Government overnment across all levels to build the capacity of health workers to improve health resources and services provided in the West African country.

“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 that WHO will continue to support Nigeria to promote health, provide health, protect health, power health and

perform for health,’’ Mulombo said.

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