The Chief Medical Director of Kogi State Specialist Hospital Prof. Isah Yahaya Adagiri has decried the dearth of medical doctors in Kogi State, north-central zone Nigeria, linking it to emigration, popularly known today as “japa syndrome”.
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This was revealed when he appeared before Kogi State Parliament to defend the 2024 draft budget of the health sector. He further decried the pace at which young medical personnel against all odds decide to leave the country with their families though they work even harder in their host countries.
He commended the governor’s effort, who recently gave a standing order to recruit and replace any doctor that leaves. According to him, the situation has not improved because the doctors are no where to be found. To put an end to the current disturbing trend, he advocates for better pay and welfare packages.
In the same vein, his counterpart in the Hospital Management Board, Dr Ayo Olayemi called for recruitment of medical personnel to occupy the newly built medical facilities across the State like the Reference Hospital in Okene, Gegu-Beki which were inaugurated by governor Yahaya Bello’s administration adding that he is earnestly waiting for the approval of the executive to do the needful.
On his part, the Commissioner for Health Dr Zakari Usman indicated that the health sector will focus on the upgrade of facilities already put in place, build new ones where possible “ there has been a lot of infrastructural development, new hospitals have sprang up, now looking towards consolidating the gains that we have in the health sector we’ll ensure the new hospitals are equipped and functional and then we begin to look into other areas that require upgrade”.
He also emphasized on the need for public health intervention programs to get to the communities that are out of reach and disadvantaged.
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