By Melvin Uche, Maiduguri
The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has directed for the recruitment of medical doctors, nurses and other health professionals who are indigenes of Shani to address the manpower gap in the local government’s health facilities.
Zulum gave the directive at the palace of the Emir of Shani, Alh. Muhammadu Nasiru Mailafiya during a homage on Sunday.
“The Local Government Chairman should compile and submit the names of Shani indigenes who have studied medicine, nursing and other health-related professions to be employed to meet up the existing manpower gap.”
“If you can’t get enough, I think as a long-term solution, we can sponsor the younger ones to study medicine and other health courses, so that they can come back home and fill the gap, ” Zulum said.
Sunday’s approval was one of the many by the Zulum’s administration aimed at providing affordable and quality healthcare services to rural communities across the state.
A series of other approvals by Zulum include the recruitment of 594 health workers, among them, 86 medical doctors, 365 nurses and midwives, 45 pharmacists and 100 health technicians and other support staff in September 2020.
Additional 40 doctors were also approved in January 2021 to meet the healthcare needs of Borno’s increasing population.
The latest of the approvals was the employment of 30 doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers in September, 2022 for Bama General Hospital devastated by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Zulum since 2019 has constructed several healthcare facilities and upgraded the existing ones, some of which were destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents.
According to the World Bank recovery and peace building assessment, 201 health centres were destroyed as a result of the over a decade-long insurgency. End
