A policy on community health is being developed to regulate the profession, Community Health Practitioners Registration Council has said.
The council also stated that a Community Health Institute would be established as part of strategies to further enhance the growth of the sector.
The Chairman, Governing Board of Community Health Practitioners Registration Council Sule Galadima disclosed this in Abuja during a five-day retreat for the new executives of the National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria.
He called on community health workers to always uphold the ethics of the profession to enhance effective health care delivery at the grassroots.
The chairman said plans are already on ground to further sanitise the community health practice in Nigeria towards boosting primary health care system in the country.
According to him, the board would embark on “Operation show your certificate and license to practice” and review training curriculum as part of measures to maintain standard in the practice of the profession.
Registrar of the board, Bashir Idris said the Act establishing the association would be reviewed towards realising its objectives in line with the present realities.
Idris stressed the need for the establishment of School of Health Technology in the Federal Capital Territory to enable community health practitioners in the territory have opportunity to upgrade themselves.
While advising the new executives to reconcile all aggrieved members of the association, the Registrar stressed the need for them to work towards the welfare and betterment of the association.
Also, President, National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria, Kabir Mohammed said the retreat was organised to educate the new executives of the association on their responsibilities towards repositioning it for greatness.
Mohammed reiterated the readiness of the new leadership of the association in partnering with the government and other stakeholders in improving primary health care delivery towards reducing child and maternal mortality in rural areas.