Boosting health workers’ capacity training will help to reduce brain drain occasioned by migration, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency says.
The NPHCDA Coordinator in Cross River, Mr Julius Idoko said this at the opening of a five-day capacity training for 100 frontline healthcare workers in the state on Tuesday.
He said the agency is taking steps to tackle migration of health workers, noting that the training, a project of the Health Minister, Prof Mohammad Pate, was aimed at improving the capacity of health workers and making migration out of the country less attractive.
Idoko added,”The rate at which health workers leave the country has become worrisome, this training is to build their capacities.
”This initiative is one of the steps we are taking to curb the continuous exodus of healthcare professionals from the country.
”If we continue to engage and improve the capacity of our health workers, there will be no reason for them to leave the country.”
The coordinator said that the initiative targets to capture no fewer than 120,000 healthcare workers in public institutions across the country.
On his part, the Cross River’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, said the training is very important to the state following its peculiar challenges.
He said the training would strengthen the skills of healthcare workers and enhance their performances.
Ayuk said that the state government would equip no fewer than 450 primary health centres within the next year to enhance healthcare delivery.
Meanwhile, the Director-General, Cross Rivers Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Vivian Out, commended NPHCDA for the initiative, describing it as timely and well-intended
He said those who benefited from the exercise would train others to ensure an active and efficient workforce.
(NAN)
