WHO celebrates 75th anniversary, boasts of serving Nigeria well
Federal Government has urged states to lift embargo on employment of health workers to address manpower shortage in primary healthcare facilities across rural communities.
Besides, government has established a National Health Workforce Registry, “which is a web-based information system that generates and maintains comprehensive data on Nigerian health workforce and links them to their respective health facilities.”
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who dropped the hint at a briefing to commemorate 2023 World Health Day, yesterday, in Abuja, observed that the embargo constitutes a barrier to the country’s vision of achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and improved quality of healthcare.
He appealed to states to ensure that more frontline health workers are recruited to address the shortfall.
Also, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire has charged government and private sector on conducive environment for healthcare workers.
Interacting at the commissioning of six units of elevators at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), yesterday, she noted that it was expedient for every health worker to be equipped with modern equipment.
According to her, aside knowledge, expertise and experience of medical personnel, if the environment is not conducive, “they won’t deliver optimally. So, the equipment must be state-of-the-art. That is the difference between us and developed countries.”
In his speech, Acting Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, said since 1962, the facility has embarked on training of medical and para-medical personnel home and abroad.
Specifically, he said there has been significant increase in budgetary allocations.
“From 2019 till date, our capital budgetary allocation has increased by about 900 per cent. I have no doubt in my mind that should this increase be sustained, our tertiary hospitals will be that of 21st Century that is comparable to any hospital in the world,” he said.
RELATEDLY, WHO celebrated its 75th anniversary, which coincided with the 2023 World Health Week. WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Mulombo, said government has collaboratively partner with the private sector to achieve set goals.
He said government has kept Nigerians safe, adding that the “organisation-led effort in Nigeria was historical during the smallpox outbreak in 1969.”
