Federal Government has restated its resolve to reverse shortages in medical personnel.
It assured Nigerians it had begun efforts to ensure health workers that have left the system are replaced.
The government noted those in the system need to be motivated to ensure they continue to provide quality healthcare services.
It hinted it will reduce dependence on the importation of drugs and equipment to decrease the percentage of importation from 60 per cent to 40 per cent by fostering local manufacturing of medicines and assembly of equipment.
Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr. Salma Anas-Ibrahim, spoke during the Joint World Health Organisation (WHO) – stakeholders’ feedback workshop on the evaluation of the third WHO-Nigeria country cooperation strategy (2023 to 2027).
She said: “President Bola Tinubu’s administration is aware Nigeria faces challenges of brain drain. Prior to this, our human resources for health are grossly inadequate.
“Efforts will be made to ensure we address these issues and advance capacities of our training institutions, to step up action and leverage opportunities to guarantee sustainable human resources for health…
“Efforts are on to address these issues, including having a one-on-one replacement to replace those that have exited. Efforts are also on to ensure we motivated vibrant health workers; also, those that want to come back and contribute to healthcare development.”
WHO’s Country Representative, Dr Walter Mulombo, said: “This review is remarkable as it comes during a political transition in the country. This provides a potential policy change and transformation window, given the opportunities presented by COVID-19, the primary healthcare reimagining programme, National Health Insurance Authority Act, and the Presidential Health Reform programme.
“One recurring challenge at this review is the need for WHO to be more innovative and agile to adopt a stronger coordination role as the leading authority in health in support of the country and other partners.”
