The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, on Thursday called on states to lift the embargo on health workers’ employment.
He spoke in Abuja at a briefing to commemorate the World Health Day which coincided with the World Health Workers Week (April 2 to 8).
He said global emerging diseases provided further reason to prioritize investments in health workers to respond effectively during pandemics.
He said Nigeria was among 55 countries on the WHO’s health workers support and safeguard list, with shortage of health workers.
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He said his ministry was responding to issues of health workers migration by putting in place policy measures that ensure more health workers are trained, recruited, retained and better remunerated.
WHO’s representative to Nigeria, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, urged more investment in human resources for health by increasing pre-service training, implementing strategies to attract, retain and ensure optimal performance of highly motivated health workers in Nigeria.
