By Rose Wood, SOM International Coordinator
In 2025, the Occupational Health Unit at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and the Society of Occupational and Environmental Health Physicians of Nigeria completed an Occupational Health Training Project for healthcare workers across Oyo State, Nigeria. SOM provided grant management and technical assistance.
After a baseline survey, the programme delivered four intensive training workshops for primary healthcare workers and resident doctors at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. The workshops covered core elements of Occupational Health and Safety, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and strategies to enhance wellbeing and prevent burnout. Topics were selected using recommendations from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines on occupational health (OH) for healthcare workers, ensuring alignment with best practice. In-person delivery aimed to maximise engagement, demonstrated by participant feedback of the value of the interactive and approachable, supportive environment of the workshops.
322 healthcare workers were trained, 261 primary health care workers and 61 resident doctors. Pre- and post-training surveys evaluated workshop impact and value. Findings showed increases in OH and IPC knowledge, and significant improvement in wellbeing. The project emphasised mental health: five sessions explored workplace stressors, coping strategies, and supportive practices, with active question-and-answer discussions to encourage open dialogue. Participants reported that the personable delivery of sessions enhanced their sense of support and inclusion.
A central aim was to ensure long-term, sustainable impact. A stakeholder meeting was held with the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board at project completion to outline pathways for sustaining OH health capacity. Workshop materials were made widely accessible, and training slides were collated and shared via WhatsApp groups to reinforce key messages and encourage continued peer-to-peer learning. This maintained engagement and knowledge-sharing across the healthcare community.
Since the close of the project, lead partner Professor Folashade Omokhodion continued to embed OH within state healthcare systems. This included the development of an OH Policy for the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, adapted from a WHO template. This represents the first OH policy for primary healthcare workers in Nigeria and progression toward stronger OH awareness at the PHC level. Further surveys and visits to selected primary health centres are scheduled to assess progress on corrective actions recommended during Occupational Risk Assessment of primary health care facilities.
This initiative is part of the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP), funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) via the Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET), using Ducit Blue Solutions in Nigieria. SOM is grateful to the WHO for their participation, providing expert guidance and development of training content.
This project stands as a model for sustainable, scalable, and locally rooted occupational health interventions - one that will inform future initiatives.