UK commits £2m to strengthen Nigeria’s health workforce

The United Kingdom’s Department of Health and Social Care has committed to strengthening Nigeria’s health workforce with a grant worth £2 million.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), which disclosed this in a statement Wednesday, hailed the new funding commitment.

The statement said the grant would cover a two-year period to support the government of Nigeria to optimize the performance, quality, and impact of the health workforce through evidence-informed policies and strategies.

Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Representative in Nigeria, said the strength of every health system reflects the capacity and adequacy of its health workforce, which are necessary to deliver quality services to address population health needs.

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“Through the UK government’s generous support through WHO, we will deploy the technical support from the three levels of the organisation to support the development of evidence-based policies and strategies, capacity building and management for improved planning and management of Nigeria’s health workforce,” he said.

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, said a skilled, well-motivated and adequate health workforce was critical for Nigeria to end preventable deaths and build resilience against global threats.

The project will draw on the technical capacity of WHO to strengthen health systems including experience of implementing similar projects with appreciable results in the past.

Implementation at sub-national levels with a focus on six states of Cross River, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Lagos, will build on the presence and technical support being provided to state governments through the 37 WHO sub-national offices in Nigeria.