Health workers in the Abia state public service have been warned to be conscientious in the discharge of their duties as the state government would no longer tolerate laxity in discharge of their official duties.
The Deputy Governor Engr Ikechukwu Emetu handed down the warning in his conference hall, government house,Umuahia during a meeting on the state task force on primary health, stated that government would not accept further act of absenteeism and dereliction of duties on their part.
Engr. Emetu said that Governor Otti attached great importance to the provision of accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare delivery and that this cannot be guaranteed when health officers are not at their duty post.
He said that the retrofitting of more than 200 health centres across the state was a confirmation of strong and sincere commitment and not lip service to the health needs of the people as government was determined to ensure quality healthcare service delivery to the hinterland.
The deputy governor sounded a note of warning that any health worker found absenting from duty or derailing in the performance of assigned official duties would face appropriate civil service disciplinary measures, including stoppage of salaries, among others.
He urged them to reciprocate the governor’s gesture, who approved a special salary structure for health workers by being proactive in their workplaces, which would ensure that government’s objectives of efficient service delivery in the health sector is achieved as well end the lucrative services of traditional birth attendants in our communities.
Engr. Emetu, however, commended health workers who have been dedicated to their duties and others who are ensuring that government objectives in the health sector are realised to the benefit of the people.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ABSPHCDA), Dr Olugu Kalu said that the quarterly meeting was to take stock and performance assessment of previous quarter in the Primary Health sector and plan for the coming months.
Dr Olugu said that such interaction provides the opportunity to rob minds together, review past works done, assess challenges, and come up with recommendations that would improve the system and their service delivery.
He said that the meeting, the second in the year, would lay emphasize on strengthening the inspectorate division because of the poor attitude of some staff and that henceforth, any staff found wanting would be dealt with.
The Executive Secretary commended the governor for retrofitting more than 200 primary health centres in the state and said that they are in collaboration with traditional rulers of over 500 communities to work out the security of the renovated health centres.
He disclosed that the meeting would be considering the menace of traditional birth attendants as they are contributing to increase infant and maternal mortality in the state, disclosing of plans to chanced them out of business.
The meeting featured goodwill messages from development partners like WHO and UNICEF, among others.
