….Announces Salary Increment For Health Workers
Lagos council approves 100 per cent pay rise for doctors
Abia State Government has announced plans to clear salary arrears owed medical doctors in the state by the previous administrations.
This is coming barely one week after the State Government said it spent N10 billion to defray pension arrears of pensioners.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo disclosed this during a press conference Monday at Government House Umuahia by the Association of Nigeria Physicians in the Americas, ANPA, which is on a 10-day medical mission in the state.
She also said that Government had decided to increase the wages of health workers in the state to motivate them for efficient service delivery.
This, according to her, is part of strategies by the State Government to end the continued migration of health workers in search of greener pastures abroad.
The Commissioner further disclosed that the State Government had plans to engage more health workers so as not to over-stretch the few available ones in the system.
She said that Gov. Alex Otti, would continue to prioritize the health sector including the welfare of health workers.
The Commissioner who said about N200 million was projected for the free medical mission, also disclosed that 500 patients had been captured for cataract surgery besides the over 300 other medical surgery cases.
According to her, over 7000 patients registered for the medical outreach.
Speaking at the press conference, ANPA President, Dr Chinyere Anyogu, said the mission was to help deliver quality health care to Nigerians.
She said that the efforts of the State Government towards repositioning the health sector informed the choice of Abia for the mission.
Commending the Abia State Government for its partnership, the ANPA boss said members of the team were ready to attend to the high number of patients who had been booked for their attention.
On the mass exodus of health workers otherwise known as JAPA syndrome, the ANPA boss, said the association had planned to hold health conference in Lagos next year on how to end the trend.
She said that ANPA was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health on how to tackle the challenge by helping to train 1 million health workers in the country.
Adding his voice, the Chairman of the Mission, Dr Dele Ekusami, said the team comprised 60 volunteer physicians in different fields of medicine from the Americas, and 100 volunteer physicians from Nigeria
He said Nigeria physicians in the Americas were sacrificing so much to carry out the annual medical mission in their bid to help improve on the health of Nigerians.
According to him, the free medical mission is a way of giving back to society in line with their vision to have a healthier nation.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman , Local Organising Committee and the Chief Medical Director, CMD, Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Umuahia, Professor Azubuike Onyebuchi, said adequate arrangements had been put in place to ensure the success of the outreach.
He commended the ANPA team and other volunteer physicians as well as other partners for their sacrifices to help save lives.
Meanwhile, the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia State Diagnostic Hospital Umuahia, and the Amachara Specialist Hospital , simultaneously serve as venue for the free medical mission.
Abia To Clear Salary Arrears Of Doctors
