Faith-based pre-service health training institutions play an important role in addressing Nigeria’s health workforce needs, however, many face challenges in achieving the standards required for full accreditation. In Ebonyi State, the Bishop Michael Okoro College of Health and Technology (BMOCHT) confronted these challenges head-on, transforming its operations to achieve full accreditation with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria Health Workforce Management (HWM) Activity.

Established in 2020, BMOCHT in Ebonyi State operated under provisional accreditation by the Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN). Full accreditation was crucial for the institution’s sustainability and its ability to meet the growing demand for skilled primary health care workers. Recognizing the need for comprehensive institutional improvement, BMOCHT collaborated with HWM to develop an Institutional Strengthening Plan (ISP).

“We recognized that to ensure the quality and sustainability of our primary health care workforce training programs, we needed to undertake a comprehensive transformation,” said BMOCHT Provost Augustine Okwori. “It was during this crucial phase that the HWM Activity stepped in to provide us with invaluable technical support. With their guidance, we developed an ISP to address gaps in infrastructure, teaching and learning resources, faculty development, and overall institutional capacity,”

The development and implementation of the ISP was a concerted effort between BMOCHT and the HWM Activity. HWM provided technical assistance and supplied teaching aids to BMOCHT while BMOCHT demonstrated a commitment to excellence in implementing the action items in the ISP. In March 2024, BMOCHT achieved a significant milestone when the CHPRBN granted full accreditation status to BMOHCT to train 75 community health extension workers (CHEWs) and 50 junior CHEWs (JCHEWs), a significant increase from the previous admission quotas of 50 CHEWs and 30 JCHEWs.

“On behalf of the entire college community, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to HWM for their unwavering commitment to strengthening the primary health care system. Their strategic guidance, technical expertise, and resource mobilization support have been instrumental in transforming our institution and ensuring its long-term sustainability. As we embark on this new chapter with full accreditation, we are confident that our continued partnership with HWM will further enhance our ability to deliver high-quality health care education and contribute to the overall improvement of primary health care services in our community and beyond.”

– Augustine Okwori, Provost of Bishop Michael Okoro College of Health and Technology

BMOCHT’s journey from provisional to full accreditation reflects its commitment to high-quality education and its vision of a skilled health workforce in Bauchi State. This accomplishment underscores the power of strategic partnerships to address systemic challenges. Equipped with full accreditation, BMOCHT is now well-positioned to continue its mission of training skilled health care professionals who can make a meaningful impact in their communities.