Participants at the event. Photo: Murtala Mohammed/Radio Nigeria
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Health Work Force Management Activity has called for a policy that will ensure, recruitment, training, retention and better remuneration for health workers to arrest brain drain in the health sector.
The State Coordinator, Health Work Force Management Activity, Mr. Robert Bature made the call in Bauchi, at an event to commemorate this year’s World Health Workers Week, with the theme “Investing in the Health workforce”.
Mr. Bature advised the Bauchi State Government to put measures in place, that will reverse the ugly trend of health workers migrating to other states or even outside the country.
He said the USAID Health Work Force Management Activity has been supporting the state in different capacity, to include scholarship offer to about one hundred and thirty indigent students to study community nursing and midwifery in health training institutions across the state.
The State Executive Chairman, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed described human resource as one of the building blocks of the health system, without which none of others could function well.
Also, the Health Financing Advisor of USAID Integrated Health Program, Mr. Khalid Kasimu said providing incentives for rural postings would improve efficiency and suggested that the concentration of workers in the urban health facilities should be looked into.
On his part, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sabi’u Gwalabe said the ministry has secured approval to engage medical students, under the pre-service scheme to provide health care services to the people.
Dr. Gwalabe represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ali Babayo said the state government had also approved the employment of over one hundred doctors.
He however expressed worry that less than thirty people applied and accepted the offer.
The event was organized by the State Government with support from USAID Health Work Force Management Activity, working in Bauchi, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
Reporting by Murtala Mohammed; Editing by Chinasa Ossai