The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has called upon the 64th National Council on Health (NCH) to endorse the community-based health research innovative-training and services programme for human resource for health (CRISP-HRH).
The initiative, geared towards addressing the shortage of health workers, especially skilled birth attendants (SBAs), seeks to optimise human resources within the primary health care (PHC) system.
Director at NPHCDA, Dr. Garba Bulama emphasised the significance of the programme during the 64th NCH technical session held on Wednesday in Ekiti. He highlighted its potential impact on enhancing health outcomes and addressing challenges within the PHC system through community-based research, innovative training and collaboration with stakeholders.
Bulama drew attention to the findings of the 2022 PHC health facility assessment, revealing a considerable shortage of SBAs. He outlined the programme’s components, including the recruitment, training and retention of SBAs, along with collaboration with teaching hospitals and federal medical centres.
The goal of the CRISP-PHC HRH collaboration is to ensure four trained SBAs per Level 2 PHC facility per ward by 2030. The programme’s sustainability is underscored, with initial resources provided by the Federal Government, the World Bank IMPACT project, BHCPF, GAVI and UNICEF. State governments are encouraged to engage through MoUs for phased ownership of employed SBAs, ensuring long-term benefits.
Bulama emphasised CRISP’s design, focusing on strengthening existing organisations, systems and processes for sustained impact. The NCH, as the highest national policy-making and advisory body on health matters, plays a crucial role in supporting initiatives that address critical workforce shortages in the health sector. The 64th meeting marks the first council of health under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
