The Niger State Government has approved the prompt hiring of 1,000 healthcare professionals and the automatic replacement of retired health workers within the state.
Dr. Ibrahim Dangana, the Commissioner for Primary Health Care, made this announcement during a press briefing at the Government House in Minna on Wednesday.
He emphasized that Governor Umar Bago’s administration is actively pursuing measures to guarantee the delivery of accessible, high-quality, and affordable healthcare services throughout the state.
According to the commissioner, the major challenge in the health sector in the state is manpower deficit, and this would be covered to provide adequate antenatal care services, and family planning services and also strengthen referral systems across all primary health care (PHC) centres in the state.
“A proper monitoring team will be channelled to all PHCs in the state, to correct all forms of illegalities in the sector, to meet the yearnings and expectations of the citizens,” he said.
The commissioner reiterated the determination of the government to ensure efficient, and effective healthcare delivery in the state by providing the needed manpower and facilities.
He said: the state government will build and equip a state-of-the-art Emergency Operation Centre (EOP) in Minna, to coordinate and monitor vital services at PHCs across the State.
“The ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Works, to come up with technical and structural drawings which will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for sourcing of funds.”
“The state government has given the ministry a nod to rehabilitate dysfunctional and upgrade some Primary Healthcare Centres. however, has approved the resuscitation of scholarships for Medical Students, and bond programmes as measures to address the brain drain syndrome of medical practitioners,” said Dangama.
Dangama further disclosed that the state government would continue to strengthen ties with development Partners, as the state presently has a principal MOU with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation among others.
“The Ministry of Primary Health Care would not relent in providing affordable, accessible and qualitative primary health care services to the people of the state,” he said.
(NAN)
