FCTA Launches Health Workers Registry
By: Samuel Reuben Musa & Chukwunoso Chukwurah
A dedicated health workforce is panacea for improved healthcare in developing nations across the globe.
The Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Health and Human Services Secretariat (FCT HHSS) Dr. Abubakar Tafida stated this at the official launching of the FCT Health Workforce Registry in Abuja.
The Secretary also reiterated the importance of health workforce in the management and administration of healthcare in the Territory.
Dr. Tafida revealed that exercise is expected to aid the Secretariat in human resource management and planning.
The Secretary said that good leadership and governance systems cannot be attained without a trained workforce to manage it.
According to him, a health workforce is a very serious global challenge that is affecting the sub Saharan Africa and account for more than 70% of the global disease burden yet with the least available skilled human resources to manage it while most of the professionally trained health workers keep leaving to other countries for greener pasture.
Dr. Tafida lauded the launch of the registry, which is the first of its kind in the FCT adding that, “it provides us with an opportunity to see where our gaps are, not just in the public sector but also in the private sector.”
He said the FCT Private Health Establishment Registration and Monitoring Committee would welcome the registry in order to access the manpower status and quality of care provided by the facilities; stressing that with a domesticated health human resource policy in the FCT and the registry that would soon be available to everyone, the Secretariat would be able to advocate for more funding towards the development of skilled human resources for the benefit of FCT residents.
Speaking earlier, the Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar explained that the challenge of human resources in health as a global issue.
Dr. Abubakar noted that skilled human resources in healthcare is very important.
According to him, World Health Organisation said in Sub-Sahara Africa, ratio for a doctor to a patient is 1 to 2,500 but added that currently, it is higher.
“This has made it important for the FCT Administration to know its health workforce,” he remarked.
In his remark, the Secretary-General, Association of Nigeria Private Medical Practitioners, Dr. Aborisade Emmanuel commended the achievement of the Health Secretariat describing it as a welcome development.
He tagged the launch of the registry as a step in the right direction and assured the FCT HHSS of the willingness of the private sector to key into the registry.
