…Orders Recruitment OfAdditional 200 Health Workers In A’Ibom
By Bassey Nkponam
IBESIKPO ASUTAN
The Akwa Ibom governor has inaugurated a unique state-of-the-art Primary Healthcare Centre at Ikot Nkwo in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of the state.
The facility is the first of the model primary healthcare centres built with modern facilities such as anti-natal care unit, delivery unit, laboratory, pharmacy, medical record, library, ICT room consulting suite, emergency unit, immunisation corner, family planning unit, minor procedure room, adolescent counseling unit, four units of two bedrooms accommodation for doctors, amongst other facilities.
Gov Umo Eno, while inaugurating the facility, Friday, said the inauguration of the primary healthcare facility was a great move to bring primary healthcare closer to the people in line with his administration’s ARISE Agenda’semphasis on rural development.
He recalled that a few weeks into office as governor, he paid a visit to what had for decades been a health centre that took care of the health needs of the community, during which he was shocked and touched by how run-down the place was.
Eno, who also recalled how impressed he was when the community was kind enough to give out their community hall to be used as a health post, and by how well the record of patients were kept, thanked the village head and all members of the community for donating a land to the government that same day without demanding for any compensation.
He expressed the preparedness of government to work with communities that appreciates investment and what government is doing for them, and donated N50million to the community in appreciation of the community’s donation of the land without demanding for anything.
Eno instructed the commissioner for health, Professor Augustine Umoh, and the executive secretary, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Eno Attah, to ensure that the staff he met on the first day of his visit to the temporary health centre, are not transferred out of the place.
“I know the usual thing associated with the Civil Service. Now that this place has become modern, the next thing will be transfer. No, let the people that suffered here when this place was not a modern healthcare centre work here. If they require training, train them. Bring the papers and I will approve them. Don’t tell me that the equipment are sophisticated and that they can’t handle it. Please teach them how to handle it because every man who sows should reap. They were here when the place was nothing, let them now enjoy if there is any enjoyment. Let them also benefit from it,” Eno instructed.
The state chief executive officer explained that in the first phase of the one project per local government initiative, about 12 primary healthcare centres are ongoing in 12 local government areas, in fulfilment of his administration’s commitment to the revitalisation, and improvement of the state’s primary healthcare system.
He hinted that plans were underway for the commencement of the second phase of the one project per local government, stressing that an area which has a primary healthcare centre before, will be given a school, as the plan of government is that every local government should be able to have one primary healthcare centre, and one school.
The governor assured that his administration would continue as much as God gives them grace, to ensure existence of health care facilities in rural communities to take care of some health needs of the people, since health is wealth.
Speaking separately, the commissioner for finance, Mr Linus Nkan and the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Uwem Ita Etuk, expressed appreciation to the governor for the provision of the Primary Health Care facility at Ikot Nkwo, and by extension, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area to take care of the health needs of the people.
In a related development, the state governor has given approval for the recruitment of additional 200 health workers as part of efforts to rejuvenate Akwa Ibom health sector.
Pastor Umo Eno, who gave the approval during the inauguration of Primary Healthcare Centre, Ikot Nkwo, in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, said the recruitment of the additional 200 health workers became necessary to make available staff who will man primary healthcare centres as they were opening up in the State.
Eno noted that as the Primary Health Center at Ikot Nkwo was opening up, there was need for adequate and proper staffing.
He made known that the recruitment interview will be extremely transparent, as government intends to use a computerised system, in addition to the use of a consultant from Lagos or Abuja to set the examinations.
According to him, the consultant would not be known by the people, even as the results of the examinations will be released the same day, and those who pass, would be employed.
Eno furthered that the recruitment will not be on quota basis, but based on recruiting the best for the healthcare system in Akwa Ibom.
“We will give you exams. So send your best for the exams. Let them do the exams, if you pass, we will see. You cannot have a second chance with healthcare delivery.
The governor announced that government was prepared to pay rural allowances to doctors and nurses who would reside in the rural areas, on a condition that they will remain in the area, stressing that, “Please, the doctors and the people we will put here, we have given you a place that is conducive. I am prepared to pay that allowance to doctors and nurses that will be in the rural areas. But,if I pay you the allowance and I branch,while passing on the road to discover you are not here, don’t tell me the doctor went away because I have given you a place to stay. The state security service will monitor.IfI don’t find the doctors here, just like you take my allowance, I will take your job.
“For the doctors and medical workers in the rural communities, I belief we should give them incentive. That incentive is for them to deliver. I don’t want to come here at night to meet a pregnant woman and they say there is no doctor. We have given you a place that is good”.
He urged the commissioner for internal securityand waterways, Gen. Koko Essien (rtd), to work with the villagers and theIbesikpo Asutan DPO and position security operatives in the facility to ensure that the health workers work freely and are well protected.
Eno thanked the village youths for their cooperation with the contractor, while also thanking the construction company for their corporate social responsibility.
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