the health workforce operates in collaboration and cooperation among themselves, as it obtains in other parts of the developed world.
He made this known at a pre-conference briefing to acquaint Nigerians with the plans for the 2021 regional conference and Induction of Elected Fellows of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science taking place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja in November, 2021.
The 2021 scientific conference of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science has the theme: Improving Global Health by Strengthening Medical Laboratory Capacity in Africa.
Mr. President, HE Muhammadu Buhari has graciously consented to declare the Conference was opened on the 15th November, 2021. It would be chaired by the Director General of West African Health Organisation, Professor Stanley Okolo. The Keynote Lecture would be delivered by a foremost physician/infectious diseases specialist, Professor Idris Mohammed OON, NNOM, FRCP.
According to him; “In Dec 2014, the 46th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government decided on the desirability of harmonizing professional training curriculum in the region;
“ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers adopted the harmonized healthcare professional training curricular articulated by WAHO to address the health needs of both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels
“Again, in May 2018, the World Health Assembly, adopted and launched the WHO’s five-year strategic plan covering the period 2019-2023, which will focus on achieving the “Triple Billion target”, which states that by 2023.
“The West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science is a statutory specialized professional Postgraduate training institution of the ECOWAS region, established to train specialists in all the sub disciplines and specialties of medical laboratory science profession, to strengthen manpower capacity for efficient healthcare service, health research, disease detection, accurate diagnosis, disease surveillance, prevention and control in the West African region”, he stated.
Okara continues, “The 62nd Session of the World Health Organisation Afro-Regional Committee at a meeting on 20th November 2012, in Luanda, Angola adopted the Road map on Human Resources for Health.
“The Regional Committee unanimously adopted the Road Map for scaling up the human resources for health to improve health service delivery in Africa.
“The Regional Committee is a WHO Governing Body for the African Region, composed of Ministers of Health of the 46 Member States.
“The Regional Road map proposes strategies and actions to overcome the health workforce challenges in Africa. The Road map proposed strategies and actions in six areas: Strengthening health workforce leadership and governance capacity; Establishing or Strengthening Human Resources for Health regulatory capacity; Scaling up education and training of health workers with appropriate skills mix; Optimizing the utilization, retention and performance of the active health workforce; Improving health workforce information and generation of evidence for decision making; and Strengthening health workforce dialogue and partnership”.
