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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The United States Agency for International Development,-Integrated Health Programme (USAID-IHP) and Kebbi State Government have lamented the shortage of doctors and nurses across the primary and secondary health facilities in the state.
Mr Nasir Sa’adu Fakai, Kebbi State Coordinator of USAID-Health Workforce Management and the Permanent Secretary of the Kebbi State Ministry of Health, Dr Shehu Nuhu Koko stated this during the 2023 Health Workers week in Birnin Kebbi.
While addressing the health workers and other stakeholders at the event on this year’s theme – ‘invest in human resources for health’, Fakai, noted that there was an urgent need to invest more in the health sector to bridge the gap.
Said he: “The shortage of skilled health workers in Kebbi State had a significant impact on the quality of healthcare delivery. Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state lack sufficient staffing, and this limits their capacity to provide essential health services.
According to performance management and measurement evaluation report, only 35 of public health facilities in Kebbi State have the recommended staff strength to service the population.
“Consequently, many PHCs in the state are understaffed, resulting in the long wait times, inadequate patient care, safely and diminished health outcome. As a result, rural communities, the poor and other underserved groups are more susceptible to sickness and diseases,” he said.
He noted that to solve the challenges facing the health system in the state, investment in health workers production, recruitment, staff retention and infrastructure in the state are crucial.
“It is also necessary to establish effective strategies and policies to deal with the distribution of healthcare workers, prioritising and increasing staffing and resources to underserved areas and vulnerable population.”
