By Magnus Effiong
The Special Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu on Health, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, has posited that the challenge of brain drain in the health sector was gradually coming to an end in Cross River state due to the Governor’s pragmatic approach to challenges in the sector, including welfare of medical professionals.
Dr Bassey said this in an interview, weekend, shortly after the just concluded 66th Regular Session of the National Council on Health (NCH) which held at the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC).
He lauded the Governor for hosting the 66th Session of the NCH, adding, “Far-reaching decisions were taken at the end of the NHC meeting, one of which was on improving the payment package for health workers.
“I want to commend the Governor of Cross River state, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu for granting approval for the payment of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to doctors in the State.
“The Governor has prioritised the healthcare sector. Besides the fact that he has made adequate budgetary provisions for the healthcare sector, he has gone ahead to grant releases for renovation, revitalisation and repositioning of the primary healthcare. As we speak, more than 82 primary healthcare facilities have been renovated in all the 18 local government areas in the state.
“That’s a step in the right direction. There’s no reason why doctors from Cross River State would wish to go to other States, federal government or even leave the country for greener pastures because the package is now going to be the same.
“By creating such an environment for doctors to have competitive senses, by innovating, revitalizing, equipping facilities, he has provided enough motivation for medical professional to focus on serving our people. I think that all these things put together would go a long way towards reducing the migration of medical professionals.”
On the NCH’s 66th Session, the two time House of Assembly member said: “The theme of this year’s National Council on Health was ‘Accelerating Universal Health Coverage Through Innovation, Resilience and Equity’. The sub-theme was ‘Health Workforce Development and Retention Strategy.’ The theme took that trajectory because the government is aware that so many of our health workers had left for greener pastures, and is indeed a challenge to government.
“One of the things the Session deliberated on was to develop strategies that will discouraging health professionals from living the country to other countries” he stated.
The one-time Chairman of Bakassi local government area noted further that with the adoption of reforms aimed at strengthening primary healthcare, expanding health insurance and above all with N50 billion deployed to clear outstanding arrears owed health workers, the health sector was having its best of times.
The Special Adviser also lauded President Bola Tinubu for tackling headlong the challenges in the sector, adding “The Renewed Hope Agenda for the sector is working well. The federal government has decided to provide more funding. That’s why you have been able to observe that the incessant strike actions by doctors and other health workers have reduced.
“The federal government has also been able to provide facilities and equipment at the tertiary healthcare facilities. If you go to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), for instance, you will see the tremendous work that is being done in that facility. This is a thing that speaks for itself.
“And with the review of some policies on health, there is an improvement in health outcomes. Maternal and child mortality rates have reduced across the country. There is better improvement in health insurance coverage. In the recent past, only 3 percent of Nigerians were covered by health insurance but it is now up to 17 percent coverage. And this is an achievement.
“There is also an improvement in supervision. The federal government has also come up with an initiative where about 744 young Nigerians are engaged in what is called National Health Fellows whose responsibilities include to monitor, carry out assessments of performance in all the health facilities across all the LGAs in the country,” he stated.
