Enhancing the Ability of Frontline Health Workers to Improve Health

This project seeks to improve the health of infants children women and men in Bauchi and Cross River States and reduce deaths. The project aims to increase the quantity and quality of frontline health care workers such as midwives nurses and community health workers in order to improve the delivery of maternal newborn and child health care services for 1.9 million pregnant women and mothers and 1.7 million children under five. It also seeks to build the capacity of Nigeria's Ministry of Health to support the states in meeting national health standards. The project also seeks to reduce the overall burden of disease in Bauchi and Cross River States. Some project activities include: (i) improving the ability of 11 training centres to effectively train frontline health care workers; (ii) providing assistance to support ministries of health professional associations and regulators to better manage the frontline health care workforce; and (iii) improving the ability of ministries of health to develop implement and manage evidence-based health policies and programs that allow for better long-term deployment and management of frontline health care workers. The project is implemented in collaboration with the Population Council and the Global Health Workforce Alliance.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (i) increased availability of qualified and productive frontline health workers; (ii) increased use of evidence-based policies strategies and plans that respond to the different needs of women and men to manage the health workforce; and (iii) improved partnerships and coordination for mobilizing sustainable health workforce resources.