Shortage of quality manpower in health sector huge – Obaseki

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, vowed to finish the state College of Health Science, while receiving the accreditation team for the school.

This is as he said the shortage of quality manpower in the health sector is huge.

The visit of the team is coming ahead of the reopening of the institution which has been upgraded into a world-class facility to drive the development of manpower for the state’s health sector.

Receiving the team at the Government House, in Benin, Obaseki said the COVID-19 outbreak pushed his administration’s intervention in the healthcare sector, leading to the total overhaul and holistic revamp of the healthcare system.

The accreditation team was led to the Government House by a consultant to the College, Dr. Esther Oshunluyi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, Prof. Tosan Erhabor, and the Director, Education Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria, Halima Ahmed.

Obaseki said, “The shocker, for us, came during COVID-19 when I had to interact very closely with the health system and it showed that we have derailed in terms of understanding what the healthcare system entails and the kind of institutions and support required to build and sustain any health system.

“Our COVID response, mobilising over 5,000 doctors and a larger number of other healthcare workers to support the response, showed that the healthcare system has broken from the top to the bottom.

“Healthcare is not about doctors or hospitals but a whole support system, middle management system and manpower and without this support, the healthcare system will not stand.”

He noted that the experience of COVID-19 drove his administration’s intervention across the spectrum adding that he embarked on a total healthcare revamp, starting with the structure of healthcare.

“There are more private providers for healthcare services than government, and we realised that the core to sustaining quality healthcare was to put in place healthcare financing. We have put in place a vibrant insurance policy in Edo State which is the best in the country and after two years, we have over 250,000 subscribers and our target is one million.

“We can’t ask people to pay premiums if we can’t give them quality care. What are they paying for? Quality care is not about infrastructure but more about people providing care. If we are going to rebuild the healthcare system of Edo State which now stands on a pyramid and at the base of the system, is our primary healthcare institution. We now have to focus on institutions that train the bulk of staff that we have to work within our primary healthcare system,” he said.

Obaseki said that his actions were done for the Edo people and the nation. According to him, people don’t need to go abroad as a result of the facilities put in place.

He said, “I appeal to you that it’s good to have accredited programmes but our focus must be ensuring efficient learning and practical experience so that we stop brandishing certificates but ensuring it’s about skills as we have too many certificates in the system.”

“The shortage of quality manpower is huge and we are at the epicenter of migration as we know that a lot of people will travel. It’s better to train people who will go to other places to work rather than being unemployed and remaining at home.

“I am assuring you that as a government, we will finish this and invite you for reopening and you will be amazed with what you will see. As part of our reforms, the health Ministry has enumerated over 7,000 facilities and wants to create a linkage between the school and the healthcare market to help train and retrain the people they hire. This is what is done all over the world, the market is here.”