FG targets 2,000 health professionals annually with $5.5bn EU, Afreximbank funds

…signs agreement with Empower School of Health, Geneva

The Federal Government says it is targeting an addition of 2,000 health professionals annually on the backdrop of the $5.5 billion funds.

Mohammed Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, in a statement on Sunday, said the fund move was done in addition to the advancement of 22 new large-scale health sector manufacturing projects funded by the $5.5 billion in private sector capital.

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The new initiative is coming on the backdrop of recent workforce depletion in the health sector following mass exodus of health workers, popularly referred to as the ” Japa” syndrome

As part of efforts to strengthen manpower development in the health sector, Nigeria signed a partnership agreement with Geneva, Switzerland-based, Empower School of Health, that will see to the establishment of Africa’s foremost pharmaceutical manufacturing training institute, Empower Academy Nigeria

Pate stated that “as these new investments come into our country, our focus on cultivating a world-class pharmaceutical manufacturing workforce in-country has sharpened”.

Nigeria recently secured €1 billion from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and an additional $1 billion from AfreximBank to incentivise health sector value chain localisation,

“We  have signed an agreement with Empower School of Health, Geneva, that will see to the establishment of Africa’s foremost pharmaceutical manufacturing training institute, Empower Academy Nigeria.

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“The initiative is fashioned “to accommodate knowledge transfer in support of the local production of pharmaceutical excipients, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and advanced dosage forms such as inhalers, extended-release medications, and dermatological patches”, he said.

The Empower Academy Nigeria will advance best practice in process engineering, regulatory compliance, quality control, environmental monitoring, and other important fields.

“With a mandate and capacity to train and upskill up to 2,000 Nigerian professionals annually, supported by cutting-edge equipment and world-class facilities, Empower Academy Nigeria will offer certification courses in partnership with Africa CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and the International Federation of Pharmacists, amongst others.” he said.