‘Katsina needs 20,967 health personnel to meet WHO standard’

Katsina State needs about 20,967 medical personnel to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard in the health sector, the chairman of the state committee on Health, Dr Labaran Doro, has said.

Speaking at the presentation of a committee report to the state government, Doro said doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other para- medical staff were critically needed to provide effective healthcare service across the state.

According to him, the deficit in health personnel is impeding development in the sector, noting that a five year development plan must urgently be initiated to address the problem.

“It is in line with this development plan that we propose for expansion, programs being conducted by the state’s health tertiary institutions for sustainable human resource for health, including the full accreditation of courses under the college of nursing and midwifery. Similar contact was made with the state university with a view to fast tracking the take off of the faculty of Medicine”. he said.

He said 48 health facilities comprising 19 general hospitals and 29 comprehensive health centres had been assessed, adding that they would come up with draft bill for the establishment of the drug management agency to add value to health delivery.

Governor Aminu Masari commended the committee for the work done and assured that health sector would be transformed for effective service delivery.