WAHO, Stakeholders review ECOWAS plan to motivate, retain health workers

The West African Health Organization (WAHO) and health sector stakeholders have reviewed a regional work plan to motivate and retain health workers across Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member countries.

The President of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), Prof. Ibrahim Yakasai, said effective workforce retention was essential to ensuring sustainable, quality and accessible healthcare services across the sub-region.

Yakasai, represented by Consultant Ophthalmologist Prof. Foluso Owoeye, said this in Abuja on Monday during a meeting to review regional work plans for motivating and retaining health workers across ECOWAS member countries.

He said the meeting aimed to finalise strategies to address health workforce shortages, improve working conditions and strengthen healthcare delivery across West Africa.

Yakasai, who delivered a goodwill message, commended WAHO for its leadership and commitment to strengthening health systems across ECOWAS member states.

He said the meeting provided an opportunity for stakeholders to address challenges threatening the sustainability, quality and accessibility of healthcare services across the region.

According to him, the strength of any healthcare system depends not only on infrastructure and modern technology but also on the competence, commitment, motivation and availability of health professionals.

He said that West Africa continued to experience increasing health workforce migration, popularly known as brain drain or japa in Nigeria, with serious consequences for healthcare delivery.

The WACS president said the situation was particularly concerning because the college had invested considerable financial and institutional resources in training healthcare professionals.

He questioned the value of training health workers without creating an enabling environment that would encourage them to remain, practise, develop professionally and serve their communities.

Yakasai emphasised that workforce retention should be regarded as a strategic investment in human capital rather than merely an employment issue.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that the regional work plan contained realistic, implementable strategies supported by clearly defined actions, measurable targets, timelines and institutional accountability.

He also called for stronger links between professional training and retention, including specialist training, mentorship, research opportunities and career advancement.

Yakasai further advocated regional cooperation among ECOWAS member states to promote equitable workforce distribution, professional mobility, mutual support and the sharing of expertise.

He emphasised the need to involve healthcare workers in policy development, noting that strategies developed without considering their aspirations, frustrations and experiences might fail to achieve their intended objectives.

The WACS president reaffirmed the college’s commitment to partnering with WAHO and national governments on training, workforce retention, mentorship, research and policy advocacy.

He said the success of the work plan would ultimately be measured by the number of healthcare professionals who chose to remain, serve and thrive in West Africa.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, called for stronger regional collaboration to address healthcare workforce shortages and improve the motivation and retention of health professionals.

Salako, represented by Dr John Ovuoraye, Director and Head of the Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, described the review as timely.

“It coincided with other regional and continental initiatives addressing healthcare workforce challenges, including activities marking the 50th anniversary of the West African College of Physicians.

“The work plan should complement broader continental efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve the availability of health workers across Africa,” he said.

He said that the African Union was pursuing a continental action plan targeting the deployment of two million community health workers by 2028.

According to him, the regional framework on motivation and retention can complement the continental initiative by encouraging health workers to remain in their communities and strengthen healthcare systems.

Salako said workforce challenges differed across countries, making it necessary to develop approaches that reflected national needs while supporting regional cooperation.

He also highlighted the role of professional colleges in training specialists and other healthcare professionals to deliver essential services and strengthen health systems.

The minister also addressed Nigeria’s response to the confirmed Ebola disease case, urging participants to observe established public health precautions.

He explained that Nigeria had not banned public gatherings following the confirmation, noting that Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids rather than through the air.

He encouraged participants to observe infection prevention measures, including hand sanitisation and avoiding direct physical contact where appropriate.

He urged other African countries to strengthen surveillance and response systems, noting that cross-border movement and trade made regional cooperation essential.

Earlier, WAHO Director-General Prof. Palokinam Pitche said the meeting was convened to finalise the regional work plan on health workforce motivation and retention.

Pitche explained that the meeting was part of a series of workshops designed to strengthen regional health systems and develop practical responses to workforce challenges.

He said discussions would focus on identifying specific challenges, examining country experiences, developing strategies and defining the roles of governments and partners in implementing the work plan.

He emphasised that health workers remained central to healthcare delivery, adding that infrastructure and technology alone could not guarantee quality health services without skilled and motivated personnel.

According to him, healthcare systems require adequately trained professionals to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases, as well as provide rehabilitation and other essential services.

He identified disparities in professional training, admission requirements, study duration and recognition of qualifications across countries as challenges requiring regional attention.

He said differences in training standards and certificate equivalencies could complicate professional mobility and efforts to harmonise health workforce development across the region.

The representative described workforce retention as a public health priority, warning that healthcare infrastructure could fail to deliver expected results without adequately motivated personnel.

The Head of Training and Human Resources for Health at WAHO, Prof. Joseph Olorunda, presented the meeting’s objectives and expected outcomes, outlining strategies for improving health workforce motivation and retention.

“The proposed strategies included competitive and timely remuneration, recognition programmes, supportive leadership, mentorship and access to continuous professional development opportunities.

“Other measures included clear career progression pathways, safe and adequately equipped workplaces, housing and transportation support, and incentives for professionals serving in rural and underserved communities.

“The work plan also emphasised strong political commitment to healthcare workforce planning, evidence-based decision-making and alignment of policies with national health system needs,” he said.

Olorunda called for collaboration among governments, multilateral institutions and bilateral partners to strengthen workforce management and reduce pressures contributing to health worker migration.

He also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in addressing workforce shortages and promoting the equitable distribution of healthcare professionals across ECOWAS member countries.

“The meeting’s proposed call to action urged governments to invest in healthcare personnel alongside infrastructure, create supportive working environments and recognise health workers as valuable national assets,” he said.

Olorunda further emphasised that effective retention policies could help ensure that trained professionals remained motivated, productive and committed to serving communities across West Africa.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru