By Chiamaka Egwu
The Kano State Government has recruited 2,037 additional health workers to address manpower shortages in public hospitals and primary healthcare facilities across the state.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who announced the recruitment on Wednesday during the presentation of appointment letters to the new workers, said the exercise was necessitated by the shortage of health personnel, worsened by the migration of nurses and other health professionals out of the state.
He said the new recruits, comprising medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, senior and junior community health extension workers, paediatricians and other professionals, would be deployed to facilities where manpower gaps had been identified.
Yusuf said the recruitment was part of broader efforts by his administration to strengthen the health system and improve access to quality healthcare across the state.
The governor said: “Your appointment demands discipline, integrity, competence and respect for human dignity. I urge all of you to uphold the highest standards of professionalism in the discharge of your responsibilities.”
He charged the new workers to treat patients fairly, irrespective of their social status, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation or economic circumstances.
Yusuf said the government expected punctuality, dedication, continuous professional development and responsible management of public resources from the new employees.
He also assured the workers that government would provide the necessary support to enable them perform effectively, but warned that they would be held accountable for the quality of services delivered to patients.
The governor said the appointments were permanent and pensionable, ending what he described as the era of relying on casual health workers and allowances.
“No more casual staff. No more allowances. What matters now is that at the end of every month, you will collect your salary as and when it is due as permanent and pensionable members,” he said.
Yusuf said the recruitment would complement investments already made by the administration in healthcare infrastructure, primary healthcare services, essential medicines and medical equipment.
He listed the renovation and equipping of health facilities and the upgrading of 12 primary healthcare centres to secondary healthcare facilities among the interventions undertaken by the government.
According to him, strengthening infrastructure without addressing the shortage of health personnel would not deliver the desired improvement in healthcare services.
He said the government would continue to work with health professional associations, development partners, traditional institutions, community leaders and the private sector to improve healthcare delivery in the state.
The governor congratulated the new employees and urged them to regard their appointments as a call to service rather than merely an employment opportunity.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Labaran Yusuf, described the recruitment as a significant milestone for the state’s health sector.
He urged the newly employed workers to put patients’ interests first and maintain professional standards in the discharge of their duties.
The commissioner specifically warned the workers against demanding or collecting money from patients for services that should be provided free of charge, charging them to remain committed to their responsibilities.
