Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara said the state has no functional intermediary health facilities to support the primary and tertiary health services in the state.
Meanwhile, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has confirmed the appointment of Prof. Chizindu Alikor as the substantive Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt for his diligence. Until his confirmation, Prof. Alikor has been on acting capacity.
Governor Fubara stated this while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Medical Association led by its national President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah in Government House on Friday.
Explaining the deplorable state of the health system before he assumed office, the governor noted that due to lack of functional secondary health facilities there is much pressure on the primary and tertiary health facilities in the state.
He said such pressure has necessitated his administration to conclude plans to revive all zonal Hospitals in order to ensure adequate healthcare delivery.
Sir Fubara emphasised that While the zonal hospitals are being revived there will be additional employment of health personnel to be deployed to all the health facilities, assuring that his administration will continue to partner with the NMA to deliver the best health services across the state.
“So, we have taken it upon ourselves to make sure that this government revive all the zonal hospitals.”
“While we are doing that the issue of the personnel employment will come in, because we need manpower to handle those places.”
While acknowledging the medical association for their patience and support, Governor Fubara said it is the duty of government to care for its workers and that is what his administration has been doing to ensure productivity.
“See this government as yours. The governor and his team cannot succeed without your support. And any government that has the interest of this people (medical personnel) must pay adequate attention to healthcare.”
“Healthcare goes with development, because your workforce needs to be healthy to be productive. If you put everything in place and you don’t have good health, then your people will definitely be unproductive ”
On his part, the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Uche Ojinmah commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for all the positive actions he took in the health sector since he became governor, adding that without noise the governor has approved and implemented several welfare issues that he had pleaded for in the past to no avail.
He said it was imperative to lead the delegation to appreciate the governor for approving promotion of health workers, payment of hazard allowances, implementation of increments and determination to employ more health workers are positive developments that will form part of his score-card as his tenure as national President is coming to an end.
