Kaduna State Enhances Healthcare with Task Sharing Initiative

The Kaduna State Government is committed to addressing healthcare workforce shortages through Task Shifting and Task Sharing (TSTS), as stated by the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, at the TSTS implementation programme close-out ceremony. This initiative has supported interventions in 77 primary healthcare facilities across nine local government areas.

Balarabe emphasized that recruitment alone cannot resolve the workforce shortage due to financial and time constraints. TSTS aims to equip existing healthcare workers with additional skills through clinical mentorship, coaching, and supervision, particularly at the primary healthcare level.

The Commissioner for Health, Hajia Umma Ahmed, described TSTS as a strategic response to workforce constraints, underscoring the need to maintain professional standards. She outlined five priorities for sustaining the initiative, including integrating TSTS into government policies and strengthening monitoring.

Dr Anthony Shamang from the Gates Foundation praised the state’s commitment to recruiting 1,800 healthcare workers annually, highlighting a 2016 assessment that revealed a need for over 16,000 healthcare workers in the primary healthcare system.