iHRIS Qualify Data Reveal a Clearer Picture of the Number of Qualified Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria
Until recently, records from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria indicated there were around 240,000 qualified nurses and midwives within the country. Now, using more accurate information from iHRIS Qualify, the council reports that the actual number of those registered may be closer to 136,000.
The iHRIS Qualify data reveal there are far fewer nurses and midwives available than expected to provide much-needed health services to Nigerians. Additionally, given limitations in available workforce data within the country, the council’s data on active registration remain the most reliable proxy for determining the combined number of qualified and available nurses and midwives in Nigeria, across both the public and private sectors.
In 2006 the World Health Organization’s World Health Report defined 57 countries facing a critical shortage of health workers—those with fewer than 2.3 doctors, nurses, and midwives per 1,000 population. Against that ratio, Nigeria reported a shortage of nearly 40,000 health workers. The new data may indicate that Nigeria’s shortage is closer to 144,000—over three times the amount reported in 2006. This would be the seventh highest shortage of the 57 crisis countries. In Africa, only Ethiopia reported a higher shortage of 152,000 health workers.
*A critical issue for consideration in calculating the health worker density and shortage is the national population. For more information please see CapacityPlus Technical Brief #1.
iHRIS Qualify is o
pen source software that tracks health worker training, certification, and licensure. CapacityPlus develops this software and supports its implementation and use in several African countries, including Nigeria. CapacityPlus has been working with the West African Health Organization since 2010 to support the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to customize, implement, and use the software to archive and maintain its data.
The council previously relied on a paper-based system comprised of 70 bound registries containing information on 19 different cadres of nurses and midwives. Statistical information was generated manually and compiled into reports using Excel. After entering the data from the registries into iHRIS Qualify, the council was able to address and eliminate duplication within its registry records (e.g., where a nurse or midwife is qualified in one cadre and then receives a higher-level qualification).
Today, the council can confidently track and report on the total number of qualified nurses and midwives registered in Nigeria. Through iHRIS Qualify the council is able to aggregate information and produce a number of additional reports. Council staff can also search for an individual nurse’s or midwife’s record, and quickly verify their specific qualifications. Additionally, Nigeria’s health leaders can use the council’s iHRIS Qualify data for effective nurse and midwife deployment, as well as for more strategic planning and policy-making across the sector in response to specific health workforce challenges and needs.
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Photo by Paul Marsden. (Data entrants at the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria)
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