Optimizing Health Workforce
to Enable Better Care
Current Situation
Human Resources for Health (HRH) planning is fragmented and inefficient in many states in Nigeria, with limited coordination, which leads to inefficiencies in financing the health workforce, a lack of evidence-based recruitment, flaws in the distribution of skilled HRH to areas of need and challenges with HRH productivity and performance.
Health Systems Strengthening
Our Approach
Human Resources for Health (HRH) planning is fragmented and inefficient in many states in Nigeria, with limited coordination, which leads to inefficiencies in financing the health workforce, a lack of evidence-based recruitment, flaws in the distribution of skilled HRH to areas of need and challenges with HRH productivity and performance.
Workforce optimization
We worked with the state’s health sector to co-develop a five-step approach in optimizing Primary Health Care (PHC) workforce performance and productivity. This involved conducting a quantitative PHC Health Work Force (HWF) productivity study in 274 focal PHCs. In addition, we conducted a qualitative study across focal PHCs in the state to identify the underlying causes of low HWF productivity.
Staff audit and productivity assessment
We assisted the state in conducting a Primary Health Care Health Staff audit, comprising a physical headcount and certificate verification of 6,000 SPHCDA staff members. HSDF also helped implement the first ever Health Workforce Productivity Assessment in the state.
Results
Findings from the quantitative study revealed three core drivers of low PHC HWF productivity in Niger State – health system inefficiencies, health worker absenteeism, and low patient demand. These results were used to develop:
- A health facility profile that summarizes study findings per facility
- A reference to showcase the workforce productivity index, absenteeism rate, HRH gap, HRH trends, and service availability mapping per facility
The results of the qualitative study conducted informed the development of a PHC HWF Productivity Improvement Plan (PIP), which aims to serve as a baseline for HRH planning and management.