The Nigerian health system is has been described by many analysts as “relatively weak, in crisis state, characterized by poorly paid demotivated staff, who ae sometimes owed several months’ wages, poor welfare, lacking in basic facilities, equipment and working tools etc.
There are also issues of unacceptably low doctor-patient, nurse-patient ratios and inadequate staffing of health facilities generally. Other challenges include the unending fight for supremacy among various categories of health workers resulting in frequent strikes and industrial actions.
All these challenges have been traced to bad leadership at all levels – from the very top where health issues are not prioritized by government at all levels to politicizing of the distribution of health institutions and infrastructure to lopsided appointments and distribution of health workers etc,
There are so many dimensions to these issues, but at ACHL, our intervention objectives includes
- A reorientation of health workers and leadership on transformational leadership models in the health care setting
- Advocacy to key policy makers at all levels to prioritize health care issues
- Educating and building the capacity of the community members to demand for quality services and to hold duty bearers accountable
- Providing technical assistance to government and non-government organizations and CBOs on strategic planning for health, organizational development and program management
- Setting up and operating a college of health sciences and Leadership where health acre workers receive pre-service training and continuing professional education that integrates a training in transformational leadership, results-based management with clinical skills. In this regards, the College of Health Sciences and Management Technolgy which is currently being constructed in Adiasim in Akwa Ibom State by ACHL is a testimony of the resolve by ACHL to make a difference in this critical area.