The Jigawa State Executive Council has approved the recruitment of 2,124 health workers and the sum of N959,280,000 was also approved as their annual salary and allowances
The state Commissioner of Information Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Sagiru Musa Ahmed, revealed this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting.
He explained that those to be recruited to permanent and pensionable staff are 1,124, including 924 temporary health workers under the state programme, J-Health and 200 medical personnel.
The council has also approved the immediate recruitment of 1,000 Jigawa State indigenes who study health-related courses at various levels, as temporary workers, under the state-initiated J-Health Scheme, to replace the 924 absorbed into permanent staff.
The commissioner added that the health workers will be posted to 281 wards level – Primary healthcare facilities and 13 secondary health facilities.
“The massive recruitment of health workers is part of Governor Malam Umar Namadi’s agenda to make basic healthcare services accessible and affordable for all people in the state.
“It is a known fact that the state has achieved the construction of at least one basic healthcare facility in every political ward, but the major challenge is the shortage of personnel to provide the required service and, now, a step has been taken to address the problem.
“We are optimistic that, with the provision of adequate health workers in our facilities, the high rate of child and maternal mortality will be tackled as well as other unnecessary deaths, ” the commissioner declared.
According to a non-governmental organization (NGO), the Jigawa State Maternal Accountability Forum (JiMAF), 75 percent of the deaths in the state are from Primary Healthcare-related Cases.
SOURCES: Leadership & Tribune
