JAPA: Doctors, Nurses, Scientists in Government Payroll, to Refund Salaries, Delta Health Commissioner – Onojame declares
The Delta State Government says, over two hundred absentee doctors and nurses under its payroll, will be made to refund their salaries to the government.
The State Commissioner for Health Dr. Joseph Onojame, made this known while briefing journalists on efforts to sanitize the health sector in the state, under the current dispensation.
Dr. Joseph Onojame said, human resources for health, was a major challenge in the sector as, the government had lost 50 percent of doctors and nurses employed in health care institutions, who have left the country.
He noted, over two hundred ghost workers were discovered in a recent exercise across health institutions in the state, especially at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, in Oghara.
Dr. Onojame stressed thus “When we need thorough investigation, we found out that a lot of them have left, so we had to remove them from payroll.”
Dr. Onojame also observed that efforts have also been made to sanitize the Department of Nursing in the state, which has been plagued by allegations of examination malpractice, admission racketeering and corruption.
According to the Health Commissioner “The illegal collection, that was collected from students for building levy, refunded.
“There is a lecturer who collected money for score; that lecturer will be severely dealth with.
“Some of them are used to ‘PAY FOR SCORE,’ now there is nothing like that, you must read to pass your exams.”
While reacting to the development, the State Chairman, National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Comrade Philomena Onokpuvie, commended the government policies in the health sector.
Comrade Onokpuvie observed: “Tell a student nurse, ‘please come and help me check the common things that we are used to; from VITAL SIGNS,’ you will see them turning the figs upsidedown.
“They will tell you ‘your isotonic is 10,’ how do we get 10 at isotonic, and the person is not dead.”
Oghenero Eghweree of Radio Nigeria. report that stakeholders described the current situation in the health sector, as a challenge that needed urgent attention, and one that requires the active collaboration between the government, health professionals and administrators.
