The World Health Organisation has donated a comprehensive range of equipment and materials to strengthen the teaching, learning and operational capacity of three key nursing colleges in Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
The WHO Country Representative and Head of Mission Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu said that the donations were to support the Cross River State government and Nigeria develop qualified healthcare professionals that would in turn provide residents access to equitable, affordable and quality service.
Some of the equipment and materials donated include three brand new 15 seater Toyota Hiace Commuter/school buses, 3 JMG Diesel power generators, 5 suction machine pumps, 145 desktop computer, 13 sharp 3-in-1 photocopiers and 5 UPS as well as solar-powered inverters.
Other essential equipment includes 8 sets of 3D electronic boards, 45 air conditioners including Split AC of 1.5 HP and a host of different medical safety equipment to be distributed to the Colleges of Nursing located in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Ogoja and Obudu local government areas.
The equipment and materials, which were handed over to the Cross River State government, were procured under WHO’s Equipment Support for Health Training Institutions (ESHTI) in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom.
Ursu stated, “The handover reflects the shared commitment of WHO, the government of Nigeria, Cross River and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to strengthen health systems through strategic investments in health workers for Universal Heath Coverage.”
The WHO Country Representative acknowledged that the challenges of Nigeria’s healthcare development were shortages of skilled nurses and midwives in rural communities. He urged the government to employ more medical professionals and complete all ongoing projects to reposition Cross River State as a major training hub in Nigeria.
He assured of WHO’s continued support to Cross River, promising to replicate similar interventions across other Nigerian States in line with the shared vision to improve medical service delivery.
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Also, the Head of Health, FCDO, British High Commission Nigeria, Juliet Whitley disclosed that the UK government invested 3.8m euros for the initiative, which is being implemented in six Nigerian States including Cross River.
According to Whitley, the support would enable the colleges attain full accreditation, enhance the educational experiences of the nurses, midwives and other medical professionals across the country.
She noted, “A strong health workforce is the backbone of a strong health system”. She urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the equipment to advance access to quality healthcare for every Nigerian.
Strategic Interventions
Responding to the gesture, the Cross River State deputy governor, Dr. Peter Odey expressed profound appreciation to the World Health Organisation and the FCDO for the intervention, which he promised would be deployed accordingly.
In the same vein, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammed Ali Pate, who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, described the donation as a strategic intervention, which aligns with the National Health Sector Renewal Initiative.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to WHO, UK-FCDO, the Nigerian and Cross River State government for the partnership designed to enhance medical learning in a digital era.