By Abasi Ita
The United Kingdom Government and the World Health Organisation have donated equipment and infrastructure valued at £3.8 million to health training institutions in Cross River State.
The support, delivered under the Equipment Support for Health Training Institutions programme, is designed to improve the quality of nursing and midwifery education and strengthen Nigeria’s health workforce.
The handover took place during the 66th National Council on Health meeting in Calabar. The event, themed “My health, my right: Accelerating universal health coverage through equity, resilience and innovation,” brought together federal and state health leaders to review sector progress and set national priorities.
The donation includes three buses for student and staff mobility, information technology equipment and smart boards for digital learning, medical and laboratory equipment for practical training, and essential facility upgrades such as generators, air conditioners and refrigerators.
Three health training institutions in the state will benefit directly, impacting more than 900 students and faculty. The improvements are expected to boost training quality, raise graduation rates and produce better prepared healthcare professionals.
WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, said the contribution reflects a shared commitment by the organisation, the Federal Government, the Cross River State Government and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to strengthen the health sector through strategic investment in health workers.
Ursu commended Cross River for upgrading infrastructure in its Colleges of Nursing Sciences and encouraged further investment in staffing and ongoing projects. He reaffirmed WHO’s continued support through technical assistance, catalytic funding and health system strengthening initiatives.
Juliet Whitley, Head of Health at the FCDO in Nigeria, said strong training institutions are vital for developing competent nurses, midwives and other health professionals. She noted that the ESHTI programme is helping institutions in six states move toward full accreditation.
Jill Fletcher of the British High Commission praised the results achieved so far in building health workforce capacity, adding that the equipment will further empower Cross River to train a skilled and motivated cadre of healthcare workers.
Governor Bassey Otu, represented by Deputy Governor Peter Odey, said the establishment of four Colleges of Nursing demonstrates the state’s commitment to developing a resilient health workforce capable of supporting sustainable community healthcare. He described the institutions as pillars of development that will empower a new generation of health professionals.