Global Health Workforce Programme launches to strengthen health workforce in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana

The Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) is delighted to have launched the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) in Ghana and Nigeria this month, funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care.

We were also delighted to host a Health Partnership Inception Workshop in Kenya, which facilitated discussions between UK and Kenya stakeholders about maximising collaboration, learning and impact through GHWP projects.

The GHWP is supporting Health Partnerships between Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and the UK, with projects aimed towards health system strengthening and health workforce capacity building. Through the Health Partnership model, the GHWP will strengthen the health workforce in these countries and help build more resilient health systems for post-pandemic recovery, advancing progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.8.

The launch events convened key stakeholders in each country, including representatives from Ministries of Health, the UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), World Health Organization (WHO), the UK Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) and the Health Partnerships awarded grants under the GHWP. The launch events provided a platform for key stakeholders to build relationships and establish networks for bilateral learning, fostering collaborative efforts towards achieving national health workforce strengthening plans.

The launch event also provided an opportunity for the Health Partnerships to present their projects and highlight points of collaboration between partnerships and stakeholders. With a strong focus on building local ownership and sustainability, these partnerships will contribute to the following programmatic outcomes:

1. Partnerships contributing towards improved health workforce leadership capacity aligned with health workforce strategies, that will support reduction in gender inequalities.
2. Partnerships aligning with and contributing towards retention and wellbeing strategies.
3. Improved number and quality of training opportunities for health workers.
4. Co-developed and documented learning on health workforce interventions shared with key national and international stakeholders.

THET Chief Executive Officer, Ben Simms, commented: “THET is delighted to launch this exciting programme, which provides significant funding to support the exchange of skills between Kenyan, Nigerian and Ghanaian and UK-based health professionals.”

Mr Simms continued: “Health professionals are at the centre of every health system and their work is at the core to achieving Universal Health Coverage. We believe this programme, funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care, will make a valuable contribution in strengthening the health workforce in Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, and we are grateful for the leadership of the respective Ministries of Health for helping to make this happen.”

Health Adviser at the British High Commission for Nigeria, Dr. Ebere Anyachukwu, said: “The Nigerian Government has rightly identified strengthening the health workforce as a key priority in its efforts to expand the delivery of quality health services to the population. This UK International Development Programme will support enduring partnerships between UK and Nigerian institutions to improve the skill, expertise and effectiveness of Nigeria’s health workforce.”

Health Adviser for the FCDO in Ghana Uzoamaka Gilpin, commented: “The programme continues the long-standing health sector partnership between the UK and Ghana to improve the health and wellbeing of Ghanaians. It presents further opportunities in ensuring that Ghana has the right mix of health workers with the skills and other resources required to deliver quality health services in all districts and every level of health care delivery.”

THET are delighted that the GHWP Health Partnership projects are entering their implementation phase and look forward to the impact the Health Partnership interventions will have on Health Workforce/System Strengthening in Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.