ACHEST Commissions study on "From Brain Drain to Brain Gain" in Nigeria
ACHEST has received a grant from WHO Geneva funded by EU and Norway to monitor the implementation of the WHO code on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel in Nigeria and Uganda. As part of the ongoing studies on health worker migration, ACHEST team visited Nigeria 16th to 22nd August 2015 to commission the study in Nigeria.
Dr. Peter Eriki, ACHEST Deputy Executive Director and Robert Odedo, Chief of Operations participated in initial stakeholder mapping engagements, identification of HRH migration data sources, engagement of resource persons and acquisition of HRH data at national and state levels.
ACHEST team with the Nigerian group during the commissioning of the Study in Nigeria
The team held a meeting with WHO Senior Management to brief WR on the project at WHO country office and a consultative meeting with Federal Ministry of Health Officials and later with State Ministry of Health Senior Management Team. The Federal Ministry of Health meeting was attended by Permanent Secretary who is also the acting Minister of Health, Dr. Linus Awute, and Focal Person for HRH, Dr. Tony Udoh the Appointed National Authority on reporting on the WHO Code on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.
In a meeting held with WR and WHO Team, Dr. Eriki briefed the participants on the objectives of the Brain Drain to Brain Gain Project against the backdrop of the WHO Code on International Recruitment of Health Personnel tracing the genesis of the code and briefed the WR on the specific objectives of the Nigeria Mission under the project.
The acting WR Dr. Rex Mpazanje said the project provided a good opportunity of broadening results from previous and ongoing work on HRH. He noted that the aspect of understanding dynamics of movement of Health Work Force will bring about a ‘win-win’ situation to all stakeholders. The project, he said, would place Nigeria on a higher pedestal with regard to managing HRH.
Other engagements included meetings with Regulatory bodies including Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and Nurses and Midwives Council of Nigeria, meeting with WHO DFAD Project Coordinator, Calabar, Cross River State and a planning with University of Calabar, Teaching Hospital Senior academic staff.
The team also participated in Cross River State HRH consultative meeting in Calabar which aimed at raising awareness on the WHO Code on International Recruitment of Health Personnel and develop consensus around policy approach on addressing HRH challenges. The meeting was attended by various stakeholders including representatives from various ministries, academics and WHO among others.