The Abia State Government has unveiled plans to settle the salary backlog owed to medical doctors by previous administrations in the state.
This announcement follows closely on the heels of the State Government’s allocation of N10 billion to clear pension arrears for retirees.
Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, the Commissioner for Health, revealed this during a press conference held at the Government House in Umuahia, hosted by the Association of Nigeria Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), which is conducting a 10-day medical mission in the state.
Additionally, Dr. Okoronkwo stated that the government has decided to enhance the wages of health workers in the state as a means to inspire them toward more effective service delivery.
These initiatives are part of the State Government’s strategy to stem the tide of health workers migrating abroad in search of better opportunities. She also mentioned plans to recruit more health workers to prevent the overburdening of the current workforce.
Governor Alex Otti remains committed to prioritizing the health sector and ensuring the welfare of health workers, as emphasized by the Commissioner.
The Commissioner estimated a budget of about N200 million for the free medical mission, which has already addressed the needs of over 500 patients for cataract surgery and more than 300 other medical procedures. Over 7,000 patients have registered for the medical outreach.
Dr. Chinyere Anyogu, President of ANPA, expressed the mission’s goal of delivering quality healthcare to Nigerians, citing the Abia State Government’s dedication to revitalizing the health sector as the reason for choosing Abia for the mission.
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She lauded the State Government’s collaboration and affirmed the team’s readiness to attend to the large number of patients.
Addressing the issue of health worker migration, ANPA announced plans to hold a health conference in Lagos the following year to address the trend, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health. Dr. Dele Ekusami, Chairman of the Mission, highlighted the team’s composition of 60 volunteer physicians from the Americas and 100 from Nigeria, all dedicated to improving the health of Nigerians through their annual medical mission.
Professor Azubuike Onyebuchi, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Umuahia, assured that all necessary arrangements had been made to ensure the success of the outreach.
He commended the ANPA team, volunteer physicians, and partners for their dedication to saving lives. The Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Abia State Diagnostic Hospital Umuahia, and the Amachara Specialist Hospital are all venues for the free medical mission.
