Insights : Empowering Healthcare Workers for Better  Public Health Systems

In the latest Insights Webinar hosted by eHealth Africa, public health leaders convened to address a critical global priority: strengthening the frontline health workforce. The session emphasized the increasing strain on health systems in low- and middle-income countries and the essential role of well-supported healthcare workers in building resilient systems.

The discussion began with an overview of pressing challenges. Panelists highlighted severe workforce shortages, particularly in underserved regions, and noted that doctor-to-patient ratios in many countries fall far below WHO recommendations. They pointed to rising levels of burnout and mental health strain among health workers, an issue intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing demands of aging populations.

Panelists also discussed persistent urban-rural disparities, where healthcare professionals remain concentrated in cities, leaving rural communities underserved. Additionally, while technology adoption has accelerated, many regions still lack equitable access to digital tools and the training needed to use them effectively.

The conversation moved from identifying problems to proposing solutions, with an emphasis on investing in people-centered, data-informed strategies. Panelists urged stronger systems that empower health workers at every level, not just as service providers but as critical agents of sustainable change.

Moderator: 

Tijesu Ojumu – Communications Coordinator, eHealth Africa 

Panelists

• Dr Abdurrahman Ali – Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Kano state branch

• Dr. Eno Attah – Executive Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency

• Dr Ibrahim Aliyu Umar –  The Director, Public Health & Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Kano