Godswill Ojodomo
Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello has been tasked to employ more Doctors in its employment to save health care delivery in the state from total collapse as the doctors are being overworked.
The Chairman of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), Kogi branch, Dr.Osaretin Akaungbowa made the call in a statement made available to Independent over the weekend at a scientific Conference and annual General Meeting of the Association held in Lokoja, state capital.
The Annual General Meeting with the theme: ”Kogi State Health System Strengthen: Where Are We?’.
He appealed to state government to employ more doctors, saying the few available ones were already over worked.
The chairman also enjoined the government to organise leadership training for the medical officers from time to time.
He, however commended Kogi Government for the approval of full COMMESS for all medical doctors under it services.
He added that the development was a positive boost to stabilise the health sector in the state, stressing the need to employ more doctors.
He acknowledged the support and encouragement by members and the past chairmen of the association as well as the parent body Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) to the new leadership.
Dr Agbana Emmanuel, a Consultant Public Health Physician, who presented a paper on the conference said Kogi is currently doing well in its health care delivery services.
Emmanuel, who is the Acting Provost College of Health Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, said Kogi presently has four tertiary health facilities; three owned by the state and one by federal government.
He commended the government for embarking on expansion of existing health institutions and upgrading of Specialist Hospitals
He disclosed that the state at the moment had 4,216 health workers of which 69 are in the category of medical officers, nine consultants and 2,012 registered nurses.
On his part, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Kogi Hospital Management Board, Dr.Zakari Usman, assured that the state government would continue to accord health sector topmost priority.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Simeon Oyiguh, appealed to governments at all levels and Nigerians to be mindful of the rising insecurity across the country.
He called for joint efforts in the fight against insecurity that has rendered innocent citizens killed.
