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From Mohammed Abubakar, Dutse
Disturbed about the rising cases of unlicensed private health training institutions in the state, the Jigawa State Government has taken to curtail the menace by constituting a special task force to address the issue.
Headed by the Technical Adviser to the state Governor on Health Matters, Isa Sirajo Gumel, the committee is a charged with the responsibilities of among others ensuring that all the health-training institutions in the state meet the laid down rules established by the state government and regulatory bodies in the health sector
Inaugurating the task force in Dutse, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad Kainuea expressed displeasure over the development citing alleged substandard facilities in most of the privately run institutions such as Colleges of Health Technologies and Schools of Nursing that are owned by private individuals.
He, therefore, directed the task force to ensure that all the health institutions across the state are run in accordance with the laid down rules but also to ensure that any institution that fails to meet the regulatory bodies’ prescription should be closed and the operators be recommended for prosecution
Gume maintained the decision has received the buy-in of the seven Northwest state governments which have vowed to shut down any private health training institution operating without full requirements prescribed by law, in a fresh push to safeguard public health and flush out quacks from the region’s health sector.
Kainuwa who is the chairman of the Northwest Commissioners of Health Forum said the decision by Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa and Zamfara followed long time of yearning and repeated calls for reform in health training institutions across the country. “We can no longer allow substandard schools to produce health workers,” he told proprietors and stakeholders present.
He stated that any Private Health Training Institution that fails to meet all legal and regulatory requirements would be closed down without hesitation, warning that, “The law is clear. If you don’t have the requirements, we will shut you down.”
According to him, the move is aimed at sanitising the sector and protecting communities from quackery. “This exercise is about safeguarding public health and ensuring that only qualified personnel are trained to care for our people,” he said.
The commissioner who later addressed proprietors and representatives of existing private health institutions engagement, during an urged them to immediately commence compliance, saying, “Government is not against private investment. We are against shortcuts that endanger lives,”
Gume stressed that the Northwest forum was speaking with one voice on the matter and declared that, “No state will serve as a hiding place for illegal health schools. We will act together.” he declared.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting, Dr. Kainuwa explained that a joint monitoring team would be deployed across the seven states to inspect facilities. “We will verify labs, clinics, tutors, admission processes and all prerequisites. Anything short of standard will not be tolerated,” he said.
He noted that the action was driven by public complaints about graduates from some private schools lacking basic clinical skills.
“The people have been calling for this. They deserve health workers who are properly trained and certified,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Taskforce on Private Health Training Institutions under the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Isa Surajo, who is also the Technical Adviser to Governor Umar Namadi, outlined the taskforce’s mandate. He said; “Our job is to inspect, verify and recommend. There will be no sentiment and no cover-up.”
The Technical Adviser said the idea behind the exercise is to restore public trust in health training in Jigawa and across the Northwest.
“We want our graduates to be accepted anywhere in Nigeria because they met the best standards,” he noted.
He disclosed that the taskforce would soon begin assessment of facilities, review of curricula, and confirmation of instructors’ qualifications. “Schools without functional laboratories or qualified tutors will not pass,” he warned.
He added that the process will be continuous and not a one-time event and stated that, “This is about building a sustainable system, not witch-hunting anyone.”
However, proprietors at the meeting were warned and issued guidelines for the reaccreditation process and given timelines to submit required documents to the ministry’s taskforce to avoid sanctions.
Efforts by our correspondent to speak with some of the invited proprietors of Private Health Training Institutions from across Jigawa State after the meeting yielded no result as all those approached declined to comment.
