By Fatima Saka
In a bid to curb medical tourism confronting Nigeria health Sectors, Global Health Partnership (GHP), formerly known as THEF, has convened key stakeholders from various organizations to develop sustainable solutions for strengthening the country’s health workforce.
The event, tagged the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) Sharing and Learning Event, was held on Wednesday in Abuja. It brought together national and international stakeholders to discuss strategies for building a more resilient health system and improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Strengthening Nigeria’s Health Workforce
The GHWP, a major initiative aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s health workforce and advancing progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), is managed by GHP in collaboration with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Ducit Blue Solutions, the local grant manager. The program is funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and has supported 14 Health Partnerships in Nigeria.
These partnerships connecting health institutions in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and the UK—have implemented interventions focused on:
Health worker capacity building (performance, well-being, retention, and leadership)
Improving access to quality education and training for health workers in remote areas
Providing leadership and training opportunities for women and marginalized groups
Speaking at the event, Pharmacist Estelle Mbadiwe, Founding Partner of Ducit Blue Solutions and In-Country Coordinator for the GHWP, emphasized the urgent need to address workforce migration, commonly referred to as the Japa syndrome—the mass emigration of Nigerian healthcare professionals in search of better opportunities abroad.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and regulatory bodies to understand why health workers are leaving and to develop strategies that will encourage them to stay.
“This program is not designed to completely fill the gap caused by Japa syndrome, but it is making significant contributions by improving well-being, quality training, and leadership development across all health workforce cadres,”Mbadiwe stated.
A Focus on Maternal and Newborn Care
Mrs. Toyin Saraki, Founder and President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and wife of the former Governor of Kwara State, described the GHWP as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system post-pandemic.
“One of the core pillars of this initiative is the strengthening of Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care. Nigeria has one of the highest maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the world, with a maternal mortality ratio exceeding 800 deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality rate of 33 per 1,000 live births,” Saraki said.
She highlighted the Advanced Obstetric Surgical Skills (AOSS) competency-based training program, launched in partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, as a key achievement under GHWP. The program, now integrated into the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria curriculum, equips resident doctors with hands-on experience in life-saving procedures such as:
Emergency Caesarean sections
Postpartum hemorrhage management
Neonatal resuscitation
The training is structured as a three-day intensive course, followed by a two-day “Training of Trainers” module, ensuring sustainability through Centres of Excellence in Lagos and Abuja.
“To our frontline healthcare workers, you are the heart of this effort. Your dedication to improving maternal and newborn care will leave a lasting impact on families and communities across Nigeria,” Saraki emphasized.
Regulatory Perspectives on Health Workforce Development
Dr. Fatima Kyari, Registrar and CEO of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), highlighted the positive outcomes of past collaborations between GHP and regulatory bodies.
“As a regulator, practitioner, and a grant holder of the GHWP, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of structured programs in enhancing workforce capacity and development.
“We need deliberate strategies to not only prevent migration but also harness the resources of our Nigerian health professionals abroad, ensuring their skills and expertise contribute to healthcare development in Nigeria,”Kyari stated.
She also stressed the importance of improving working conditions and research funding to retain health professionals.
WHO’s Perspective on Nigeria’s Health Workforce Crisis
Representing the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Mary Brantwo, Team Lead for Universal Health Coverage & Life Course Cluster, reinforced WHO’s call for greater investment in human resources for health.
“The strength of any health system depends on the capacity of its workforce,” she said.
“Nigeria ranks among the 37 countries with critical health workforce shortages, with only 1.83 healthcare workers per 1,000 people, far below WHO’s recommended threshold of 4.5 per 1,000.”
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Brantwo commended GHWP’s progress, noting its alignment with government efforts to expand training capacity and develop evidence-based workforce management policies.
“Beyond this initiative, strong partnerships are crucial in strengthening Nigeria’s health workforce. WHO remains committed to working with the Nigerian government, the UK government, and other partners to achieve this goal.”
Ensuring Sustainability of Health Partnerships
Margaret Caffrey, Technical Director for Health Systems Strengthening at GHP, emphasized the importance of making these partnerships sustainable.
“The success of these health partnerships lies in their alignment with national priorities—particularly in health education, leadership, and workforce development,” Caffrey stated.
“We must also focus on retention strategies, including improving working conditions, leadership, and management, while leveraging the Nigerian diaspora for bi-directional learning and collaboration.”
She called on the Federal and State Ministries of Health, along with partners like FCDO and WHO, to ensure that GHWP interventions are embedded within Nigeria’s health system for long-term impact.
Distinct News reports that the GHWP’s Sharing and Learning Event provided a platform for stakeholders to evaluate progress, share insights, and strategize on the next steps in building a stronger health workforce in Nigeria.
With ongoing efforts to reduce medical tourism, curb workforce migration, and improve healthcare delivery, initiatives like GHWP play a crucial role in ensuring sustainable, high-quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
