By Confidence Obiahu
The Jigawa State Government has launched a crackdown on unlicensed and substandard health training institutions operating in the state, citing concerns over the quality of health workers being produced by some private schools.
The state government has inaugurated a special task force to inspect private Colleges of Health Technology, Schools of Nursing and other health training institutions to determine whether they meet approved regulatory standards.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdullahi Kainuwa, said the government would not allow institutions with inadequate facilities or unqualified tutors to continue producing health workers.
He said the exercise became necessary following concerns that some graduates of private health institutions lacked basic clinical skills despite obtaining certificates.
According to him, institutions found operating below the required standards could be shut down, while their operators may face prosecution.
The inspection will cover laboratories, clinics, teaching facilities, admission procedures, curricula and the qualifications of instructors.
Kainuwa also disclosed that the seven states in the North-West Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara had agreed to work together to tackle substandard private health training institutions across the region.
The Chairman of the task force, Isa Surajo Gumel, said the exercise would involve inspection and verification of institutions without favouritism. He added that schools without functional laboratories, qualified tutors and other essential facilities would not be allowed to pass the re-accreditation process.
The government said the move is aimed at protecting patients and ensuring that only properly trained health professionals are allowed to provide healthcare services.
The development highlights the growing concern over the link between poor health-worker training and patient safety, particularly as inadequately trained personnel can compromise the quality of care provided to members of the public.
