…Says intervention making Ondo new Mecca for medical professionals

Management of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo State, has commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the implementation of enhanced professional allowances for healthcare workers.

While describing the move as a transformative intervention in the state’s health sector, the management emphasized that development has positioned the state as the first in the South-West and among the first in the country to implement the improved welfare package.

The enhanced Professional Table Allowance and Specialist Allowance, which now apply to staff under the CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures at both UNIMEDTH and the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) Teaching Hospital,

In a statement signed by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), UNIMEDTH, Prof. Michael Gbala, the hospital described the governor’s decision as a remarkable intervention that will in no small measure boost the morale of staff and improve healthcare delivery across the state’s tertiary health institutions.

According to Ghaja, the improved welfare package has already begun yielding results, with UNIMEDTH recording the highest influx of consultants and other highly skilled healthcare professionals in its eight-year history.

The CMD said, “Governor Aiyedatiwa’s visionary approach to healthcare financing has created an enabling environment that is attracting top medical talents from across Nigeria.

“The implementation of these enhanced allowances demonstrates a genuine commitment to valuing our healthcare professionals and recognizing their indispensable role in saving lives.”

The hospital also applauded the governor’s sustained investment in the health sector, citing the release of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), the expansion of internship opportunities, and the permanent employment of over 100 hospital security personnel as part of enhanced workforce strengthening initiatives.

The hospital has acquired modern medical equipment, including a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner, 160-slice CT scanner, 3D digital mammography system, 4D ultrasound machine, digital X-ray system, super-specialty theaters, and specialized equipment for endoscopy, ophthalmology, and ENT services in order to boost diagnostic capabilities.

UNIMEDTH further disclosed that installation of the equipment is set to commence soon following the recent visit of representatives of the equipment supplier, JNCI Group, to the hospital for final technical assessments, signaling the imminent upgrade of the hospital’s service delivery capacity.

The statement also highlighted the relocation of the hospital’s ophthalmology department to a newly developed facility, the ongoing upgrade of neonatal services towards Level IV neonatal intensive care, and plans to commence a neonatal nursing training program in collaboration with the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED).

Gbala also acknowledged the governor’s support for maternal and child health through the Abiyamo Safe Motherhood Scheme and the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) Program, which provide free Caesarean sections and delivery services for pregnant women across the state.

The hospital further welcomed Aiyedatiwa’s commitment to constructing modern residential quarters for resident doctors within the teaching hospital, describing the project as another major step towards strengthening specialist medical training and improving emergency healthcare delivery.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to providing excellent, patient-centered healthcare while expressing profound appreciation to Governor Aiyedatiwa for his visionary leadership and sustained commitment to transforming healthcare delivery in Ondo State.