By Edito By Olufunmi
The Kano State Government has approved the employment of 2,037 additional health workers to address manpower shortages in health facilities across the state.
Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf disclosed this on Wednesday during the official launch and presentation of appointment letters to the newly recruited health workers at the Government House, Kano.
Yusuf said the recruitment was necessitated by the shortage of health personnel, worsened by the migration of doctors, nurses and other health professionals to other locations.
He said the new recruits included 250 medical doctors, 40 pharmacists, 250 nurses, 250 midwives, 150 senior community health extension workers, 50 junior community health extension workers and 50 epidemiologists, among other professionals.
According to him, the deployment of the personnel will strengthen hospitals, primary healthcare centres and other health institutions, particularly those experiencing critical manpower shortages.
The governor said healthcare remained one of the key responsibilities of government, adding that his administration had continued to commit resources to improving healthcare delivery across the state.
He said the administration had renovated and equipped several health facilities, including the Paediatric Hospital, Maternal and Child Health Unit, Surgical and Medical Wards, and Accident and Emergency Unit of the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.
Yusuf also said 12 primary healthcare centres had been upgraded to secondary healthcare facilities, while several secondary healthcare facilities across the 44 local government areas had been renovated.
He listed increased immunisation coverage, improved availability of essential medicines and the enrolment of more than 423,000 vulnerable persons into the state contributory healthcare scheme among the administration’s achievements.
Other achievements, he said, included the establishment of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control and the Sickle Cell Centre at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.
The governor congratulated the newly recruited health workers and described their appointment as a call to service.
He urged them to demonstrate compassion, discipline, integrity and professionalism in the discharge of their duties, while respecting the dignity of patients.
Yusuf directed the workers to provide services to all citizens fairly, irrespective of their social status, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation or economic circumstances.
He assured that the government would continue to improve healthcare infrastructure, strengthen primary healthcare services and ensure the availability of essential medicines and medical equipment across the state.
The governor commended the state Ministry of Health, Hospital Management Board, Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board and development partners for their contributions to strengthening the state’s healthcare system.
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