Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has approved a new salary structure for health workers in the state, aligning their earnings with those of their counterparts at the federal level.
The new structure, known as the Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS), will take effect from May 1, 2025, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ogbonnaya Uche, in Umuahia.
Uche stated that the ASHWOSS will apply to a wide range of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, optometrists, medical laboratory scientists, and radiographers.
“This means that Abia health workers, starting May 1, will begin to earn salaries equivalent to what is obtainable at the federal level,” he said.
In addition to the salary adjustment, Governor Otti has approved the recruitment of 771 new healthcare workers, including consultants and specialists. The number, Uche said, was based on a recent needs assessment conducted across health facilities under the Ministry of Health.
He added that the state government has released funds to cover the salaries and allowances of the incoming personnel and is working on a special emolument package to attract and retain top-tier talent, particularly in specialized medical fields.
According to the commissioner, the specialists in high demand include experts in laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery, anesthesia and intensive care, transplant and robotic surgery, cardiac and neurosurgery, and neonatology.
Other priority areas include interventional radiology, neurology, cardiology, nephrology, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopedics, and plastic surgery, depending on specific needs.
“All these approvals and implementations take effect from May 1,” Uche confirmed.
