Abuja, 10 December 2015 - The induction programmed for newly recruited staff into the World Health Organization, Nigeria Country office, a new WHO African Region (AFRO) initiative in furtherance of the   transformation agenda, has been successfully concluded. The 2-day intensive course was held in Abuja on 8 and 9 December with 19 participants drawn from across the country.

The programme was designed to decrease staff time to competence in their role, provide information on WHO at global, AFRO and country office level as well as demonstrate to participants where their work fits into the regional structure. More importantly, the course highlighted to participants the three categories of WHO reform and how they translate into the four key focus areas of the AFRO transformation agenda.

Dr Rui Gama Vaz, the WHO country Representative (WR) in Nigeria who declared the meeting opened and presented a paper on “WHO Reform”, stressed the benefits of the programme which will support participants in carrying out their daily work. He emphasized the importance of cultivating high sense of discipline and accountability in the WHO environment and other facets of official transactions.

The WR set an expectation that participants will take what they learn during the programme and share it with their colleagues who have not been able to participate in this new initiative, when they return to their various offices. 

Sheree Ann Bailey from AFRO who was the core facilitator also explained to the participants that the programme was embedded around three main elements:

WHO Background: This element includes WHO Reform, the AFRO Transformation Agenda, the Accountability Framework in Nigeria and the History of WHO and AFRO.
Technical: An overview of each cluster outlining the key cluster activities and the achievements and challenges of the cluster.
Administration: The foundation for the administration component was introduced through compliance followed by GSM Self Service, Entitlements, Performance Management, Staff Development, Staff Association, Pension, Staff Health Insurance, Finance and Procurement.
To achieve the broad objectives of the programme, 14 different facilitators made separate presentations to demonstrate to participants where their work fits into the regional structure; explain the three categories of WHO reform and how they translate into the four key focus areas of the AFRO transformation agenda and where to complete necessary administrative procedures and find further guidance.

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For more information, please contact:

Technical contacts:

Sheree Ann Bailey; Tel: +47 241 39812; Email: baileys [at] who.int (baileys[at]who[dot]int)
Paul Ndahayo; Tel: +234 903 927 4611 ; Email: ndahayopa [at] who.int (ndahayopa[at]who[dot]int)
Media contact:

Ms  Charity Warigon; Tel: +234 810 221 0093; Email: warigonc [at] who.int (warigonc[at]who[dot]int)