The Borno State Government has employed nearly 2,000 health workers in the past two years to address staff shortages and improve healthcare delivery across the state, according to Dr Saleh Kaza, Executive Secretary of the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA).
Kaza disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Monday in Maiduguri, saying the recruitment of doctors, nurses and other health professionals had helped reduce staffing gaps. However, he said more personnel were still needed to meet the healthcare needs of the state’s growing population.
He explained that the state’s contributory healthcare scheme had increased demand for medical services, particularly through the formal sector programme for state civil servants.
According to him, BOSCHMA is working to strengthen healthcare facilities to ensure that enrollees have access to affordable and quality medical services.
Kaza said the state government was also investing in the training of more health professionals through medical and nursing institutions to provide a sustainable solution to the manpower shortage.
He identified Kashim Ibrahim University and other health training institutions as important sources of future medical personnel, expressing optimism that their graduates would strengthen the healthcare workforce within the next two to three years.
He added that two additional colleges of nursing were expected to begin admitting students, while existing institutions were expanding their intake to increase the number of qualified professionals available to the health sector.
The BOSCHMA executive secretary, however, said manpower shortages remained a concern due to the growing number of people requiring healthcare services, including beneficiaries of the state’s vulnerable groups programme.
He stressed the need for continued collaboration among the government, healthcare providers and relevant agencies to address staffing gaps and improve service delivery.
Kaza commended Governor Babagana Zulum for supporting the contributory healthcare scheme through the consistent fulfilment of the state’s subsidy obligations.
He said sustained investment in healthcare personnel, infrastructure and essential medicines was necessary to improve access to quality healthcare services across Borno State.
