WHO says it appreciates a new funding commitment by United Kingdom’s Department of Health and Social Care to support Nigeria in strengthening her health workforce.
The grant amounting to £2 million (about (N1,2 billion) will cover two years period to support Nigeria to optimise the performance, quality, and impact of the health workforce through evidence-informed policies and strategies.
Kenya and Ghana got similar grants from the UK to support their resilience against global health challenges.
The WHO stated on Tuesday that the grant to Nigeria would help the country in its determination to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“Nigerian health system like many countries in the global south has been beset with challenges in having a resilient health system able to provide quality health services, promote health and prevent diseases.
“The challenges have been further exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic which directly impacts the availability of health workers to provide quality services across the country,’’ the WHO stated.
Reacting to the WHO announcement, Dr Richard Montgomery, British High Commissioner to Nigeria said a skilled, well-motivated and adequate health workforce was critical for Nigeria to end preventable deaths and build resilience against global health threats.
He noted that the UK International Development funding aligned with the Nigerian health workforce strategic plan and would help the country to up-skill its workers, and improve health outcomes in the long run.
