By Samson Omotayo, Akure.
Members of the Ondo State Human Resources for Health Technical Working Group have been charged with institutionalizing an accessible, competent, responsive, and productive health workforce in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Pharmacist (Mrs) Folukemi Aladenola gave the charge in her keynote address at the inaugural meeting of the group held at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Health today.
Inaugurating the group, Aladenola noted that the importance of its members in the state’s health system cannot be over-emphasized as they are the primary determinants of its effectiveness.
The Permanent Secretary
added that members of the group equally ensure a positive correlation between health workforce density and health outcomes.
“The Technical Working Group which is been constituted today is the institutional platform in the state saddled with the responsibility of providing technical insight and advisory support to the Steering Committee in bringing up relevant policy and evidence-based recommendations to foster well-informed decisions on human resources for health in Ondo State.
“The group is equally expected to strengthen institutional capacity for human resources for health and improve the delivery of health services in service delivery points.
“There is a great task ahead of us as we are now saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that Ondo State can boast of a healthy workforce that is available, competent, responsive, and productive. I have no iota of doubt that we are up to the task”, Aladenola stressed.
Therefore, the Permanent Secretary implored members of the group to take up the responsibility with a commitment to promoting effective healthcare and social welfare services for the people of Ondo State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the group and Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, Dr. Uche Odionyenma averred that the group was constituted to facilitate collaboration, cooperation, and inter-sectoral planning among the diverse stakeholders to harness response to issues on human resources on health.
While noting that the task ahead of the group is great, Odionyenma however expressed implicit confidence in the membership of the group to deliver on the set mandates.
The Director encouraged his colleagues to be passionate about carrying out the task ahead of them so that they can institutionalize a skilled and motivated health workforce that can deliver effective health care and social welfare services for the
people of Ondo State.
Omotayo is the Media Officer, Ondo State Ministry of Health.
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