Bayelsa Approves Employment of 2,000 Primary Healthcare Workers

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

As part of efforts to boost the state healthcare delivery system, the Bayelsa State Government yesterday disclosed that it has approved the employment of over 2,000 workers in the primary healthcare facilities across the state.

The state Governor, Senator Douye Diri, who disclosed this at the 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference by the Bayelsa State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) held in Yenagoa, the state capital, said 123 of those employed were medical doctors, while others are nurses, extension workers among others.

Represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Newton Igwele, the governor said those healthcare workers, who will be engaged to man the health facilities across the local government areas, were selected after a careful NEED assessment.

He said: “Also, at the secondary care level, we are trying to engage manpower. The NEED assessment is ongoing and in the next three or four weeks we’d be done with that need assessment of the secondary care level.

“As you all know, even at the secondary care level, the government has approved the employment of persons to the Mother and Child Hospital. I think the hospital management board is handling that and the nearest weeks from now that is what is going to be taken up. That is what the government is doing in the human resources of health.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the state Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Oyintonbra Koroye, acknowledged the governor for the strides the government is making in the area of employment of medical practitioners.

He said the theme of the meeting: ‘The Impact of Fuel Subsidy Removal on Effective Healthcare Delivery in Bayelsa State’, was carefully chosen, and reflected burning contemporary issues.

According to him, “Bayelsa State NMA also played its role in public enlightenment through weekly health talks on radio stations. Through the media, we were able to educate the populace on health-related issues, especially on self-medication and the dangers of patronising quacks and charlatans.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Peter Singabele, lamented the increasing bitterness and rancour among doctors in the state, especially during the NMA election, which he said has posed a great threat to the unity and corporate existence of the body.