Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, on Tuesday disclosed that Governor Francis Nwifuru has approved the implementation of the 2024 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical doctors in the state.

He said the development would significantly enhance the quality of healthcare delivery for residents.

Dr. Ekuma further revealed that the governor has mandated him to develop an appropriate salary structure for all healthcare workers in the state, urging health professionals to intensify efforts to reduce preventable deaths.

Speaking to journalists in Abakaliki, the commissioner expressed appreciation to the governor for approving the 2024 CONMESS, noting that the least-paid doctor in the state would now earn over N500,000 monthly.

He appealed to medical personnel to reciprocate the government’s gesture by striving for excellence, and encouraged members of the public to access services in state-owned health facilities, which he said are now better equipped and safer for patients.

The commissioner also outlined several advancements in the health sector, highlighting collaborations with UNICEF and the Global Fund that have led to the establishment of oxygen-producing gas plants across the three senatorial districts of the state.

“We have partnered with UNICEF to establish an oxygen-producing gas plant—one in Ebonyi North, one in Central, and one in Ebonyi South. This initiative is to ensure constant availability of oxygen in our health facilities,” Ekuma said.

He added that oxygen cylinders had been distributed to general hospitals and primary healthcare centres, alongside the use of pulse oximeters for monitoring patients’ oxygen saturation levels.

According to him, the gas plant in Ebonyi North was set up with UNICEF support, while the two additional plants for the Central and Southern districts were realised through partnerships with the Global Fund. The facilities were inaugurated about a week ago.

Ekuma also announced the recent delivery of eight portable digital X-ray machines from the Global Fund, capable of diagnosing more than 31 chest-related diseases.

“We have deployed these machines to hospitals across the state—some in Ebonyi North, some in Central, and others in South. They are also used for community diagnostics due to their mobility,” he said.

He explained that the machines are moved to outreach locations such as Iboko in the North, Onueke in Central, and Onicha General Hospital in the South.

Ekuma commended the governor for his leadership in the health sector and thanked development partners for their continued support.