The Ebonyi Chapter of MakeOurHospitalWork campaign has commended the State Government over its planned recruitment of 195 Medical Personnel including 39 Medical Doctors, 39 Nurses, 39 Pharmacists, 39 Medical Laboratory Scientists and 39 Health Attendants for the 13 General Hospitals.
The Governor of Ebonyi, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru approved immediate recruitment of medical personnel for the thirteen General Hospitals in the State according to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary.
MakeOurHospitalWork in a statement signed by their state Team Lead in the state, Damian O. Omogo expressed excitement over the announcement.
Omogo said the move by the Governor is one of their advocacy over the past 3 years, while calling on the Governor to also pay attention to the welfare of the state workforce.
The statement reads:
“We were elated by the public announcement in this regard, signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr Monday Uzor.
“Over the past three years, we have repeatedly called for greater attention to be paid towards Human Resources for Health which is critically deficient in the state. We hope that the recruitment exercise will commence immediately.
“The goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage which Nigeria signed up for, can only become feasible if detailed attention is paid to the closest healthcare unit to ndi Ebonyi which is the Primary Health Care by creating a system that allows for improved integration of both the primary and secondary healthcare facilities at the local government level. We therefore call on the government to follow up this commendable step with the recruitment of primary health care workers.
“Community health committees should be institutionalised to ensure accountability and effective performance of PHCs. This would allow for improved healthcare service delivery as well as strengthen the health system in Ebonyi State.
“We also call on the State Government to immediately improve the welfare and working conditions of medical professionals by providing competitive remuneration, ensuring their safety in the healthcare facilities, provision of health insurance, ensuring the prompt payment of salaries, and timely promotion of health care workers in the Ebonyi State Civil Service. This will help to retain the new hires and also attract more medical professionals to work in Ebonyi State.
“More so, the new administration should institutionalise effective monitoring and integrated supportive supervision of health workers and hospitals in the state, to ensure Ebonyi people receive the best possible quality of health care services.”
