As part of the Regional HRH stakeholder’s consultative roundtable, the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum (NHCF) commissioned a comprehensive assessment of Human Resources for Health (HRH) Policy and Strategy Implementation Practices across the thirty-six (36) States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the ‘Assessment of Sub-national HRH policy and strategy implementation’.
The northwestern states, including Bauchi and Taraba, met in Kano for the roundtable discussion on the state of HRH policy and strategy implementation in their states.
The event occurred at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, between 30th and 31st October 2023.
On a broader scale, the focus of the roundtable discussion was the extent of sub-national domestication and degree of implementation of the National Human Resource for Health Policy, NHRHP, 2020, and National Human Resource for Health Strategic Plan, 2021-2025.
Considering the prevailing challenges and lessening priorities and opportunities; the extent of inter-state and regional intersections, shared challenges, mitigative priorities, and prospects towards collaborative HRH reform advancement; and strategic game changers for accelerating national and sub-national HRH reform momentum and effectiveness across the states.
Specifically, issues around the extent of the enabling environment for HRH reform within states
The extent of assimilating HRH reform within states and the key challenges
Overall context and impact of HRH wage setting and decisions within the general public sector
Level of efficiency and responsiveness of health wage bill management
Level of progress and effectiveness of HRH research and information management and decision support within states
Supply and demand side tensions of the health labour market [public and private sector] and impact on HRH within states
Adequacy and distributive efficiency of the HRH stock about realistic demand within states
HRH performance, productivity, and capacity development practices within states and investments & financing for HRH were discussed.
In his opening remark, The Honourable Commissioner of Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, represented by Balarabe Ibrahim Gaya, Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano, Special Intervention Programme, emphasized the importance of Human Resource for Health, HRH.
The HRH is one of the pillars of primary health care under one roof, which is central to the success of any health intervention.
It encourages the participants to digest all the thematic areas under the roundtable so that all issues and challenges facing HRH in the northwest zone and the country can be addressed.
The experiences were shared across states, which will form part of the report submitted by the forum to the National Council of Health meeting soon, as instructed by the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
A total of 11 members from the KN State Ministry of Health, KANO HMB, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Health Training Institutions, HTIs, public and private, Civil Service Commission, Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners, and Ministry for Local Government represented Kano state at the roundtable discussion.
