By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – The Federal Government on Tuesday said plans have reached an advanced stage for the commencement of a Leadership Development Academy, LDA, to building the capacity of workers in the health sector.
Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, announced this at the flag-off of the Technical Support Programme of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, in Abuja.
He said the LDA, which is modeled after the American Leadership Academy, will serve as an institute for training in public health leadership and management for postgraduate fellows and those with interest in public health
Adewole also argued that the academy was necessary for Nigeria to build a pool of health workforce across the 36 states and the FCT which, according to him, remains a critical requirement for the attainment of universal health coverage in the country.
He said: “The Federal Government, through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, will establish a Leadership Development Academy to build a team of highly skilled personnel that are able to lead and coordinate the delivery of technical services to states in short-term.
‘The academy will also develop a pool of primary healthcare workers who will emerge as model employees and change agents.
“In addition, the LDA will be involved in our primary healthcare development centre, to build the capacity of the health workers across the 36 states and the FCT.
“It will also serve as an institute for training in public health leadership and management for postgraduate fellows and those with interest in public health. This, I believe, will facilitate the emergence of a skilled workforce which is a critical requirement for the attainment of universal health coverage.
“I look forward to the great transformation of the health sector through the injection of a core of skilled workforce in public health leadership and management.”
Speaking also, the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who said the academy would be affiliated to famous world class universities abroad, further said that the LDA would form part of the agency’s strategy to sustain its technical support program to state primary health boards and ensure the availability of manpower to address their needs.