By Chris Chikelue
The Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN) has commenced the verification of certificates and licences of more than 3,000 community health workers in Anambra State.
The exercise which is a part of efforts to eliminate quackery and strengthen professional standards in healthcare delivery in the state is being conducted across the 21 Local Government Areas, took effect on July 8; it is aimed at identifying qualified practitioners, detect forged credentials and ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
The Registrar, CHPRBN, Associate Professor Bashir Idris, who was represented by his Technical Adviser and leader of the verification team, Dr. Peace Onwueme while speaking during the verification exercise taking place at the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ANPHCDA) said the exercise was ongoing across the five South-East states.
He said, “the verification was designed to authenticate the certificates and licences of community health practitioners, expose individuals with falsified documents and ensure that offenders face appropriate sanctions.
“The exercise will strengthen compliance with statutory requirements, promote ethical practice, uphold professional integrity and enhance public confidence in licensed community health practitioners”.
The Director, Community Health Services, ANSPHDA who doubles as the Acting Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Ngozi Okeke, explained the importance of authenticating healthcare workers’ credentials.
She said, “practitioners found guilty of certificate or licence forgery would be sanctioned by the Anambra State Government”.
The State Chairperson of the Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria, Mrs. Chinyere Edeh, described the exercise as a welcome development.
She commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, for their efforts at ensuring that Anambra took part in the programme.
The verification exercise will lead to improved accountability, strengthening of healthcare delivery and ensure that only qualified professionals provide community health services in the state.
Chikelue is of the Ministry of the Anambra State Ministry of Information and Value Reformation
