Dennis Naku
The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has underscored the importance of improved healthcare, saying it is the bedrock of development in society.
He noted that every effort geared towards achieving development will be a waste if the people’s health is not adequately factored into it.
According to a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chulwudi, he stated this while receiving a delegation of the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, led by its National President, Dr Uche Ojinmah, at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Fubara also confirmed the appointment of Prof Chizindu Alikor as the substantive Chief Medical Director of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
He stated, “The governor and his team can’t succeed without your support. That is the truth, and any government that has the interest of its people at heart must pay adequate attention to the provision of quality healthcare services.
“Healthcare goes with development. That is the truth. Your workers need to be healthy to be productive. If you put everything in place and you don’t have good health, then your people will be under-productive.”
The governor explained that health facilities, particularly those that provide intermediary services are being rebuilt and strengthened, and zonal hospitals would be revived while the personnel are adequately being motivated because they are critical partners in government.
The National President of the NMA, Ojinmah, while speaking, recalled being in Port Harcourt two years back to beg the government then to promote medical workers, increase their salary, and pay them hazard allowances, plus other incentives but was ignored.
He noted that Fubara had, without prompting, attended to those concerns, including employing more personnel and rescuing the NMA secretariat from crumbling.
The state chairman of NMA, Dr Ebi Robinson, revealed that the implementation of welfare packages has motivated medical doctors and workers to put in their best to improve healthcare service delivery.
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