Determined to convert brain drain to brain gain, the Federal Government through Federal Ministry of Health is considering opportunities to secure bilateral relationships with Nigerian migrant health workforce destination countries to consolidate agreements on remittances and knowledge transfer, as well as targeted development assistance specifically to support scale-up of production.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, in a communiqué, released last week, at the end of 64th National Council of Health (NCH) in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, said the ministry plans to institutionalise the Nigerian Diaspora Health Knowledge and Skills Repatriation (NDHKSP) programme as a way to convert “Brain Drain to Brain Gain” both at the Federal and State levels.

He added that the government plans to include the programme in the revised National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) II, as well as the development of a National Health workforce production investment master plan and charter to leverage synergised and aligned public-private investment in sustainable national health workforce production.

Pate said the NCH resolved to leverage on technology assisted education and training modalities, along with established online curricula in collaboration with health training institutions.

He said there are plans to adopt and ensure the implementation of maternal, infant and young child nutrition training courses at both the State and Local Government Area (LGA) levels.

The minister said they plan to conduct, every five years, an impact assessment of NCH Resolutions in all 36 States and FCT Abuja, and the modalities and methodology for the conduct of the assessment to be developed and coordinated by NCH secretariat.

Pate also said the Council plans to adopt and ensure compliance for Public Private Partnership (PPP) in line with the national PPP guidelines/regulation and establish PPP Units/ Departments in all State Ministries of Health, Federal Ministry Health Agencies, and Parastatals as a tool to bridge infrastructural gaps across all levels of the health sector in the country.

He said they also resolved to create a budget line in the Federal and States’ Ministries of Health yearly budgets, while also seeking funding for the programme from extra budgetary portfolios such as public, private, philanthropic partnerships.

Other resolutions adopted at the 64th NCH include: the implementation of the Non Communicable Disease (NCD) policy towards effective prevention and control of NCDs in the 36 States of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT); implement the National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework in the 36 States of the Federation and FCT; implement the National Training Manuals on Snakebite Envenoming Control, Prevention, Treatment and Management in Nigeria by the 36 States of the Federation and FCT; and also to include local manufacturing of Anti-snake bite venom and integrate snakebite Envenoming into pre-service training curriculum.

Pate said there are plans to commemorate the Health Promotion Day in Nigeria to promote preventive healthcare and raise awareness about healthy lifestyles among the populace, which includes collaboration with relevant stakeholders, advocate for policy changes, allocate resources and establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms at all levels.

He said the Council resolved to support the domestication and implementation of the Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) Governance Manual, and adopt and implement third edition of Nigeria Standard Treatment Guidelines (NSTG) as a minimum standard for treatment and knowledge base for training and education of all health care professionals and providers in the country.

Pate said they plan to adopt, disseminate and implement the report of the 2021 National Health Account study for decision-making in the national health system.

The minister said they plan to secure a dedicated account for medical oxygen investment, which shall be managed by the Federal Government of Nigeria and also develop and implement a Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) for the management of these equipment and establish budget lines for family planning at both national and sub-national levels for the implementation of Nigeria’s family planning programme.

Pate said the NCH resolved to adopt and implement the sector-wide approach policy for Nigeria’s health sector renewal and commit to co-creation by the 36 States, FCT, and other stakeholders as outlined.

He said they also plan to adopt and implement the National Drug Revolving Fund Scheme Operational Guidelines and Standards of Practice, and its utilisation by all health care facilities in Nigeria.

The NCH, as provided for in the National Health Act (2014), is the highest policy-making body on matters relating to health in Nigeria.
The membership comprises the Minister of Health who is the Chairman of the Council, the Minister of State for Health, State Commissioners for Health of the 36 States, and the Secretary of Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA).

A total of 626 delegates registered and participated from the Departments, Agencies and Parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, State Ministries of Health and the Health Services and Environment Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Abuja. Others in attendance were representatives of the State Houses of Assembly and National Population Commission. There were also delegates from development partners, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), organised private sector, health professional regulatory bodies, health professional associations and the press.

Governor, Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, in his remarks at the occasion, said access to healthcare is a fundamental right, and institutional governance is the key to ensuring that this right is upheld. Oyebanji said by strengthening healthcare infrastructure, optimising service delivery, and promoting good governance, his administration is paving the way for the realisation of universal health coverage, leaving no one behind.

“Finally, embracing digital transformation is imperative in the 21st century, and nowhere is this more critical than in the health sector. Ekiti State is committed to harnessing the power of technology to enhance health information systems, streamline processes, and improve healthcare delivery. Hence our eagerness to collaborate on initiatives that leverage digital solutions for the betterment of our health sector,” he said.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said Nigeria must take a pragmatic approach to respond to the current problems with human resources for health.

“We have interrogated the production of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and all other allied health workers in the country. The Registrars and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of these regulatory bodies have now been mandated to double the intake of students in the next academic session.”

Alausa said while it may be difficult to prevent the migration of individuals for greener pastures, the Federal Government can respond by increasing the pool of health workers that graduate from institutions on an yearly basis.

He said doing this would reverse the negative impact of the ‘Japa
syndrome’ that the country is currently witnessing.

Alausa said state governments are called to respond more in this
ambitious drive towards creating a sustainable pool of human resources
for health by allocating more funding to the health care training
institutions, infrastructure and providing more state-of-the art
equipment to their various institutions.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Nigeria, Dr.
Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said: “My expectation therefore is for this NCH
to leverage on the strengths and opportunities of each tier of
government to come up with feasible, less complex, and sustainable
strategies that will work for the Federal and State Governments, in
overcoming these challenges under the Health Sector Renewal Investment
Programme.

“Let me use this opportunity to re-establish the commitment of the
WHO, towards providing technical support, as a member state
organisation, towards the healthcare needs of the country. Our emerging
4th Country Cooperation Strategy has taken inspiration and direction
from the health priorities of the renewed hope agenda, and the four
strategic pillars of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme of
the Federal Ministry of Health.

“As the NCH is the highest health decision-making body in Nigeria,
it will be useful to explore innovative approaches towards engagement of
the Federal Ministry of Health and the States, in between councils,
towards improved performance and tracking implementation of council