Niger medics reject posting to rural areas — Commissioner

Over 70 percent of medical doctors and other healthcare professionals in Niger State have declined their assignments to rural locations following the receipt of their employment letters.

This information was disclosed by the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Murtala Bagana, during a one-day orientation aimed at integrating the 396 Gavi-Supported Staff into the Niger State Civil Service.

Bagana stated that the government has decided not to accept any justifications from health workers who request reassignment after securing employment.

"More than 70 percent of the employed doctors prefer urban work environments.

"From now on, we will not consider requests for reassignment from any worker. While we acknowledge the challenges regarding the availability of healthcare personnel, we have also identified areas where there is a significant imbalance in the distribution of healthcare workers.

"We do not wish to encounter a scenario where these newly integrated workers are assigned to a Primary Health Facility in rural areas and subsequently seek to be reassigned to urban or preferred locations for any reason," Bagana remarked.

The commissioner cautioned that health workers in the state are not exempt from being questioned or dismissed for misconduct, emphasizing that numerous other medical professionals are available to take their places.

"None of you (health workers) is exempt from being questioned or dismissed for misconduct, as there are thousands of individuals ready to step in.

"There are no special staff; all will be treated equally throughout your service. Avoid providing reasons that could lead to your dismissal by the government," he emphasized.

Bagana assured that the state government would supply all necessary equipment and create a supportive environment for the newly employed workers to excel.

In his comments, the Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, mentioned that there are plans to recruit an additional group of ad-hoc workers into the civil service as full-time employees.

Inuwa encouraged the newly absorbed workers to maintain discipline and revealed that the state is currently facing a workforce shortage. However, he stated that the governor has committed to resolving this issue by hiring sufficient health workers to ensure that all Primary Health Care (PHC) centers throughout the state are adequately staffed.

"Upon taking office, Governor Umaru Bago recruited 100 health workers. A significant portion of these individuals was assigned to the PHC facilities. Additionally, there is an arrangement with the Federal Ministry of Health to recruit 384 temporary staff, who will be integrated into the civil service within three years.

"The governor, who is also a farmer, assured that the state plans to hire at least 200 health workers every two years. Therefore, there are numerous opportunities to ensure that our PHCs are equipped with the necessary human resources to operate at their full potential," he stated.