As part of its efforts to address the shortage of manpower in the state’s health sector, the Bauchi State government on Friday, September 24, 2021, revealed that it had conducted a recruitment exercise for 111 doctors and 220 midwives.
The revelation was made by the Deputy Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, State Ministry of Health, Garba Gamawa, at a day meeting for Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, and stakeholders in the health sector.
He identified some challenges in the health sector to include the shortage of manpower, inadequate supply of drugs and commodities, among others, assuring that the state government was working towards addressing them.
He informed that provisions were made to address the challenges and procurement of ambulances in the allocations made for the health sector in the state 2021 Appropriation Act.
“The state government is working to address some of the challenges experienced in the health sector, such as shortage of manpower, inadequate supply of drugs and commodities, and shortage of ambulances in the PHCs. Most of them have been captured in the budget and will be adequately provided for,” Gamawa said.
While speaking earlier, the CHR Project Manager, Mr Salisu Mohammed, informed that the meeting was organised to fashion out a unique strategy for effective communications among CSOs.
While expressing the hope that the meeting would strengthen relationships among CSOs and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, Mohammed informed that some advocacy messages were developed to bring changes to primary healthcare centres.
He said issues like inadequate distribution of human resources for health, inadequate supply of drugs and commodities in primary healthcare centres, inadequate emergency ambulances in primary healthcare centres were some of the problems being faced by PHCs in the state.
He informed that the meeting with stakeholders is to identify challenges faced in health care delivery at the PHCs and proffer solutions to them.
“Issues around PHCs have to be advocated for in the state. This meeting is held quarterly with stakeholders to identify and discuss advocacy issues. The meeting is also aimed at developing messages to reach out to policymakers in the state,” Mohammed said.
