Assisting Togo in improving its health-care system

In collaboration with the WHO, the World Bank is assisting Togo in improving the quality of its healthcare system. This includes providing computer, teaching, and videoconferencing materials to 14 paramedical training schools, as well as training over 600 midwives and nurses in the prevention of infection and care for Coronavirus patients. Hawa Wagué, World Bank Resident Representative in Togo, explains why quality care requires training.

What was the significance of providing training equipment to Togo?

A critical part of improving population health is the presence of qualified people in health care facilities. Well-equipped training facilities that provide both initial and ongoing training make this possible. WHO Togo has made good use of Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) funds by ensuring that training facilities are well-equipped. This technology will enable healthcare workers all over the country to receive ongoing training both in-person and via phone conversation. This assistance can also be used to update health worker curricula, expand training centers' capacity, and improve health care quality.

Indeed, modernizing Togo's health-care training facilities is expected to make a significant difference. Increasing the quality of public health care will aid in increasing utilization and improving health markers. This is an essential step toward Togo's national goal of improving universal health care, which is backed by the World Bank.

What significance does your collaboration with WHO have?

We have an outstanding collaboration with WHO in Togo to assist the govt in incorporating its sector growth strategy. This partnership has grown stronger during the battle against COVID-19.

Following consultation with the Togolese government, the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility has awarded WHO a one-million-dollar grant. Over a one-year period, this funding was designed to strengthen beneficiary countries' response capacities to COVID-19.  We were overjoyed when Togo's Health ministry named WHO the implementing authority for activities sponsored by this fund. We partnered with the World Health Organization and the Health ministry to identify funding opportunities for activities such as improving paramedic skills and infection prevention and control capacity in health facilities. We'd like to thank WHO Togo for making these activities a success.

What steps can other countries take to replicate this initiative?

It is critical to have functional and well-equipped training centers in order to meet the national goals of the enhancing universal health coverage initiative. It is our responsibility, as technical and financial partners, to continue collaborating so that this part (training centers) of national health-care strategies is not overlooked. We are confident that lessons learned in Togo will be usable to other countries.