The Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), State Ministry of Health (SMoH), World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners, has commenced the Lower Level Training of Primary Healthcare Frontline Healthcare Workers across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Edo State.
This training is part of the Federal Government’s initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s primary healthcare system under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Ali Pate, announced the plan to train 120,000 frontline health workers nationwide, including refresher training programs. Following this directive, Edo State has commenced training for 900 frontline health workers across its 18 LGAs, starting Monday, the 10th of March 2025, and expected to end on the 19th of March 2025.
The training targets frontline health workers providing clinical services in public primary healthcare (PHC) facilities across Edo State, such as Medical Officers of Health, Nurses and Midwives, Community Health Officers, Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), and Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEWs).
The training session follows a practical, skill-building approach to ensure that participants acquire hands-on experience. The methodologies include Lectures, Participatory Discussions, Simulations, and Hands-on practical sessions.
To ensure comprehensive skill acquisition, the training consists of 8 days of classroom learning and 2 days of practical fieldwork for a total of 10 days. The sessions are held daily at the Secretariat Complex across all 18 LGAs in Benin City.
While speaking on the program’s significance, the Executive Secretary, EDSPHCDA, Dr. Coulson Osoikhai Oahimire, emphasized that the “training is a crucial step in strengthening the capacity of primary healthcare workers in publicly owned Primary Healthcare facilities, ensuring they are equipped with the necessary skills to provide quality healthcare and improve health outcomes of Edo people.
Similarly, the NPHCDA State Coordinator, Dr. Josephine Obayagbona, urged participants to take full advantage of the training, be attentive, and actively participate to maximize learning and improve their efficiency in healthcare service delivery.
The training is facilitated by experienced National and State trainers drawn from various institutions such the Federal and State Ministries of Health, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Teaching Hospitals and Healthcare Institutions such as the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State College of Nursing, Edo State Specialist Hospital, General Hospitals at the LGA level, School of Health Technology among others.
Additionally, a team of Mentors and Supervisors drawn from the NPHCDA, Federal Ministry of Health, EDSPHCDA, Edo State Ministry of Health, and WHO have been deployed across all LGAs to monitor and ensure smooth execution of the training.