The Borno government says it has employed nearly 2,000 health workers in the past two years to address workforce shortages and improve healthcare delivery across the state.

Saleh Kaza, executive secretary of the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA), disclosed this in an interview on Monday in Maiduguri.

Mr Kaza said the recruitment of doctors, nurses and other health professionals had helped to reduce staffing gaps in the state’s healthcare system.

“Although more personnel were still required to meet the growing population’s needs,” he said.

He explained that the agency’s contributory healthcare scheme had increased demand for healthcare services, particularly under the formal sector programme for state civil servants.

According to him, the agency is working to strengthen healthcare facilities to ensure enrollees have access to affordable, quality medical services.

Mr Kaza said the state government was also investing in the training of additional health professionals through medical and nursing institutions to provide a sustainable solution to the manpower challenge.

He identified Kashim Ibrahim University and other health training institutions as important sources of future medical personnel.

Mr Kaza expressed optimism that their graduates would further strengthen the workforce within the next two to three years.

He added that two additional colleges of nursing were expected to commence student admissions, while existing institutions were expanding their intake to increase the number of qualified professionals available to the health sector.

The executive secretary, however, said manpower shortages remained a concern, considering 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 and service delivery challenges.

Mr Kaza commended Governor Babagana Zulum for supporting the contributory healthcare scheme by consistently fulfilling 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.

(NAN)