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Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda has proposed a unified salary structure for medical doctors across Nigeria to mitigate the migration of healthcare professionals from state to federal health institutions.
He made this call while hosting a high-powered delegation of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) led by its President, Professor Bala Muhammad Audu, at the Government House, Katsina.
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“We need a unified salary structure for medical doctors in the country to reduce their movement to federal health institutions for higher salaries,” Governor Radda stated.
The governor urged medical practitioners to prioritize service over financial benefits, stressing that “Doctors should not look at the money but their services required to save humanity.”
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Pointing to his administration’s commitment to healthcare development, Governor Radda explained the strategic purpose behind several initiatives, “Our foreign scholarship program targeted at qualified state indigenes who graduated from public schools was to allow access and opportunities to children from less privileged families to pursue medical courses.”
Governor Radda also revealed the state government is equally establishing special schools, one each at the three senatorial zones, to also ensure access to quality education among the children of the poor.
“Government’s commitment in establishing the dialysis centre and the imaging centre, both at General Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital, were intended to support patients with various ailments to have access to affordable medical attention,” the governor disclosed.
Governor Radda further directed the state branch chairman of the NMA to formally document the requests presented by the national president for government consideration.
Bala Muhammad Audu, NMA President, expressed appreciation for the Governor’s giant strides in repositioning the health sector of the state.
“We are particularly happy with the effort in establishing dialysis and imaging centres for the benefit of patients in the state and other parts of the country,” Mr Audu, a professor of medicine stated.
“We also recognise the foresight of the state governor in upgrading up to seven comprehensive health centers to the status of general hospitals, with the intention to ensure the establishment of fully equipped health facilities at all the 361 electoral wards of the state,” said NMA President.
While commending the Governor for payment of residency training allowances, Mr Audu requested an upward review of the stipends.
The NMA President expressed gratitude for land allocated to the association under the Federal Mortgage Bank scheme but requested additional infrastructure support.
Mr Audu also requested additional land allocation, stating, “We need more land as the association has an arrangement with the Federal Mortgage Bank to provide housing for medical doctors.”
On the importance of local medica the NMA President urged the state administration to ensure full accreditation for the medical school at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University. Stating, “This would reduce the burden on the state government in sending medical students for overseas training.”
Professor Audu concluded by extending condolences to the Governor over the recent loss of his mother, Hajiya Safara’u, praying for Allah’s mercy and reward of Aljanna Firdausi.
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