The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Health Records Officers’ Registration Board of Nigeria (HRORBN), Alhaji Babagana Mustapha, has launched a nationwide capacity-building workshop on the District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) for tutors of Health Information Management (HIM) institutions, declaring digital competence “non-negotiable” for the future of the profession.
Speaking at the opening ceremony in Abuja, Babagaba said the initiative represents a deliberate policy shift aimed at aligning HIM education with Nigeria’s growing data-driven healthcare reforms.
“In today’s healthcare environment, the ability to generate, manage, analyse and utilise accurate health data is fundamental to effective decision-making and improved health outcomes,” he said.
“DHIS2 is not static. It continues to evolve, and our knowledge and competence must evolve with it.”
He described HIM tutors as critical stakeholders in the health sector, noting that they play a central role in shaping the next generation of practitioners. According to him, strengthening their capacity through continuous training on DHIS2 has become a priority for the Board.
The Registrar outlined key objectives of the workshop to include promoting continuous professional development among HIM educators, improving the quality and relevance of training in HIM institutions, aligning education with national health priorities and global best practices, and advancing digital transformation in health information management.
He further urged participants to translate the knowledge gained into improved teaching methodologies. “This platform for collaboration and innovation must reflect in your classrooms and, ultimately, in your students’ competence,” he added.
The initiative has drawn support from major health institutions across the country. The Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital Abuja, Professor Muhammad Raji Mahmud, who was represented by Dr. Shagaya U., noted that the role of health records professionals has expanded beyond mere data collection.
“Quality health records are essential to improving healthcare systems. This DHIS2 workshop comes at a critical time to drive standardisation and collaboration,” he said while declaring the workshop open.
Also speaking, Dr. Nasiru Sani, Vice President of the Association of Health Records and Information Practitioners of Nigeria, described the theme of the training as timely and relevant. Representing the National President, he said the workshop would enhance awareness of the HIM profession’s strategic role in health data management, particularly given the flexibility and scalability of DHIS2.
The HRORBN workshop signals a broader push by regulators to digitise Nigeria’s health data ecosystem by first equipping the educators responsible for training the country’s health information workforce.
