From Maiharaji Altine Salah
In its efforts to provide good healthcare service delivery in Nigeria, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has concluded arrangements to train 120, 000 frontline health workers in integrated service delivery this year.
This was revealed by the National facilitator of the program, Ahmed Chiroma during a five-day training of trainers workshop for Frontline Health Workers in Zamfara state on clinical competencies to improve health outcomes.
The workshop was organized by Zamfara state Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA) and the State ministry of health, in collaboration with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The aim of the Refresher Training Programme according to Chiroma was to strengthen the capacity of Frontline Health Workers working in publicly-owned primary health care facilities to provide quality health services and improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
Chiroma explained that in Nigeria, lack of appropriate skills and competencies at the frontline facilities contributed significantly to poor health outcomes.
He maintained that, to reverse this ugly trend, the Honorable Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pati has introduced the Renewed Health Sector Vision 2023 – 2026 and launched the National Health Sector Reviewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
He said, “In line with this, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) adopted some strategies to ensure that every Nigerian has equitable access to quality Primary Health Care services”.
‘One of the strategies is to upskill 120,000 frontline Health Workers in integrated service delivery in 2024″.
“The GOAL is to establish a sustainable framework for Primary Healthcare workforce development, training and retention”.
Chiroma further explained that, the refresher training programme would focus on critical service areas that would accelerate improvement in country health outcomes.
According to him, the training would also enhance quality service delivery in primary health care facilities.
He lamented that, 38 years after the launching of PHCDA in the country, not much was achieved.
He said, “Unfortunately, 38 years after the launching of Primary Health Care in Nigeria, it has not achieved the desire goals”.
Also speaking, the Zamfara state Director disease control and immunization, Almustafa Aliyu said the priority areas of the training were on HIV/AID, Tuberculosis, leprosy and other diseases.
The participants of the refresher course included medical workers, Doctors, Nurses, midwives, community health workers and health institutions in the state.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary Zamfara State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr. Hussaini Yakubu applauded the efforts of Minister of Health Dr. Ali Pate for planning to reform the health sector in the country especially Primary Healthcare.
Dr. Yakubu said the primary health care being the most important health sector as it affects the rural communities needed to be reformed, revived and taken care of as it existed in all nooks and crannies of every society.
He emphasised that the Minister in his wisdom believed in reforming the activities of primary healthcare because the highest number of population benefited from it.
The Executive Secretary also urged the participants to pay attention to what they would learn and reminded them that they were cascading what they learn down to all fourteen local governments in the state.
He said, “You can only deliver well if you learn well”.
Dr. Yakubu thanked the organizers from National down to the state and prayed for successful deliberations and sought for Allah’s support throughout the programme.
In his remarks, the zonal coordinator Dr. Kabiru Mohammed who was represented by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency Zamfara State Coordinator Musa Shehu called on the participants to be very attentive during the training so that could do what they were after the training.
