Struggles of Labour Unions for Policy Space in Nigeria’s Health Sector and the Question of Strategic Leadership Skills: The Case of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
Abstract
Effective governance of public institutions is critical to national development. In Nigeria, persistent challenges in public policy formulation, strategic leadership, and institutional governance have constrained service delivery, weakened public trust, and undermined socio- economic progress, especially in the health sector. This paper examines the foundations of public policy and governance, the challenge of strategic leadership in the performance of public institutions in the Nigerian context, with emphasis on policy-making processes, leadership quality, and governance reforms. It concludes with implications for policy practitioners, including resident doctors who operate within public and private health institutions. Key policy considerations are for Resident Doctors, as key stakeholders in public health, to apply strategic leadership skills in their engagements with governance structures, to contribute to policy deliberations in a strategic manner, and to adopt strategic leadership practices within their institutions. Also, addressing these systemic challenges in the health sector requires collective efforts from institutional leaders, policy actors, and civil society to foster governance cultures that are long-term, accountable, adaptive, and oriented toward overall societal well-being.
References
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