Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, says Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration is set to direct employment of more people in the primary healthcare sector.
Dr. Obidike made the announcement at the matriculation of one hundred and seventy-five (175) Year One students of College of Nursing Sciences, Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, who became full-fledged students of the institution.
The commissioner noted that the one hundred and seventy-five matriculating are part of efforts to ensure steady supply of quality services of nurses and midwives.
Dr. Obidike maintained that Governor Soludo is passionate about improving the health sector, evidenced by salary increment for healthcare providers, which he said has helped to prevent industrial disharmony.
The administrator of the College, Reverend Father Jude Igboka, Provost, Mrs Francisca Atakulu, Head of Nursing Department, Mrs Marymichael Ezenwuba and President, Alumni Association of the College, Mrs Ngozi Onwukaike, who noted that the college has continued to produce qualified nurses and midwives that are flying the institution’s flag all over the world, advised those matriculating to work harder for the tasks ahead.
They called on the government at different levels to pay attention to challenges in the health sector, bearing in mind that the poor masses are at the receiving end of the brain drain, occasioned by poor economic and working conditions of healthcare workers.
In his homily during the Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Ezeokafor reminded those matriculating that services of nurses and midwives are necessities for a healthy living across the globe, the reason they should work hard to justify resources spent on them, as well as quality of training they receive at the institution.
While urging healthcare service providers to continue serving humanity according to the dictates of their profession, the prelate called on the government to do more to address challenges in the Nigerian health sector to further stem the tide of brain drain in the sector.
Bishop Ezeokafor noted that service of nurses and midwives are highly sought after, even outside the country, but called on successful ones to stay back and help improve the nation’s health sector.
