Lagos State is set to join the National Health Workforce Registry (NHWR) as officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare paid an advocacy visit to the Lagos State Ministry of Health to push for the adoption of the system. The registry, designed to track, plan, and optimize human resources in the health sector, is a crucial step toward improving healthcare delivery and workforce management across Nigeria.
The advocacy team, led by the Head of Human Resources for Health in the Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Hadiza Dako and the NHWR Desk Officer, Mr. Olawale Ayoade, was received by the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi; the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye; and the Director, Health Care Planning, Research, and Statistics, Dr. Jumoke Oyenuga. WHO Lagos State Coordinator, Dr. Chinenye Okafor was also present.
In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi emphasised the importance of the Health Workforce Registry in addressing workforce planning and equitable distribution of health professionals across the country. She noted that the registry would provide data-driven insights to guide recruitment, resource allocation, and overall health sector improvements.
“The health workforce register is long overdue, but better late than never. It is a strategic tool that will help us track available personnel, address shortages, and improve patient care. With the growing trend of healthcare migration, having real-time data on available professionals is critical,” she stated.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye assured the federal officials of Lagos State’s commitment to integrating with the NHWR. He emphasised that while Lagos may be a late entrant, the state is fully prepared to implement the system efficiently.
“Just because we arrived late to the party doesn’t mean we won’t dance. In fact, we may end up leading the dance steps. We already have budgetary provisions and infrastructure in place to support the registry’s implementation,” he said.
The NHWR initiative, launched in 2020, aims to provide a centralized and up-to-date database of health workers across the country. It is expected to facilitate better planning, equitable workforce distribution, and improved health service delivery.
The Head, Human Resources for Health, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Hadiza Dako, in her presentation, highlighted key objectives of the NHWR, which include; accurate workforce data for policy formulation and decision-making; integration with other health information systems like DHIS2; identification of training needs to address workforce gaps and monitoring workforce migration trends to mitigate shortages. She noted that Lagos was one of the last three states yet to be fully onboarded and urged the state government to expedite the process.
Mrs. Dako expressed confidence that Lagos, being a trailblazer in healthcare innovation, would set the pace for other states once fully onboarded. She assured the state of continued support from the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure a smooth transition.
WHO Lagos Coordinator, Dr. Chinenye Okafor, also underscored the importance of the registry, stating that it would enhance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by ensuring that every health facility has adequate staffing. She pointed out that workforce data is critical in balancing workload distribution and resource allocation.
In her remarks, the Director of Health Care, Planning Research and Statistics, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Jumoke Oyenuga reaffirmed Lagos State’s readiness to integrate into the national registry. She acknowledged past delays but emphasised the need for harmonized data management to avoid duplication of efforts.
“Lagos State is fully on board. We must ensure that our workforce registry aligns with national standards while serving our unique needs. We will work closely with all stakeholders, including WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health, to achieve a seamless integration,” she said.
The NHWR implementation process involves several phases, including data collection, validation, standardization, and digital integration into the national system. The next steps for Lagos State will include stakeholder engagement, training, and full integration of its existing health workforce database into the national framework.
With Lagos now actively engaging in the process, expectations are high that the state will leverage the NHWR to enhance healthcare delivery, improve workforce management, and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s overall health sector reforms.
