Oborevwori places high premium on health workers —Commissioner

Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, Delta Commissioner for Health, said that Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori has adopted multifaceted approaches to addressing the current exodus of medical workers out of the country.

Onojaeme, who stated this on Tuesday in Asaba while reacting on the theme, “Japa’ Sweeps Nigeria’s Hospitals”, said Delta pays medical doctors and other health workers more than the Federal Government and other states in the country.

He said Gov. Oborevwori adopted the approach in a bid to encourage more health workers in the country.

According to Onojaeme, Delta pays the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), without taxing the allowances of medical doctors.

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He said the governor has also approved the immediate replacement of any medical doctor or other health personnel who traveled out of the country for greener pastures.

The commissioner said the Executive Order to replace the health personnel was to avoid the bureaucracy of going through the normal protocol of recruitment in the public service which may delay the process.

“Only Delta and Federal Government pays the revise CONMESS to medical personnel in the country.

“Gov. Oborevwori is determined to make medical and health workers stay in the country to serve the nation.

“In doing so, he is not unmindful of the wage disparity and working conditions pushing the health workers abroad.

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“So, as he is addressing the salary challenges, he is also working to improve the infrastructure, equipment and the working conditions of the medical and health workers in the state.

“This is evident in the recent approval for the purchase of CT-SCAN at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH Oghara and the Central Hospital Warri.

“The state government is also carrying out a holistic rehabilitation of some hospitals and health centres across the state to ensure good working environment for health workers and patients Onojaeme said.”