Moses Essien, the representative for the Ibiono Ibom State constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, has called on the state government to increase the recruitment of health workers to meet the manpower demands of secondary healthcare facilities.
Essien made this appeal during a recent on-site assessment of several general hospitals across the state, including the General Hospital in Onna, Immanuel Hospital in Eket, and the General Hospital in Iquita, Oron.
As the chairman of the House Committee on Health, Essien expressed concern over the critical shortage of qualified personnel in many secondary health facilities, which hampers the delivery of effective healthcare services. He emphasized that additional staffing is urgently needed, especially with budget allocations set for this purpose in the 2024 budget.
“I urge the state government to recruit more health workers, as our secondary healthcare facilities are in urgent need of additional support to provide quality care. The approved 2024 budget includes provisions for this,” Essien stated.
He also encouraged doctors and nurses to reside within their quarters to ensure 24-hour service availability, noting that the government has made arrangements for staff housing.
Addressing the issue of insufficient funding, Essien urged the State Ministry of Health to consider increasing hospital subventions, arguing that hospitals generate significant revenue for the state and should receive adequate funding.
He instructed Chief Medical Superintendents to ensure their facilities do not deteriorate, reminding them that “to whom much is given, much is expected.” He further encouraged them to implement timely repairs to maintain the integrity of the hospitals.
In their responses, Chief Medical Superintendents from the hospitals visited—Francis Inyang from General Hospital Akwa, Itaketo Ndaeyo from Immanuel Hospital Eket, and Sabastine Noah from General Hospital Iquita—acknowledged the importance of addressing the medical needs of the community. They expressed gratitude for the state government’s investments in health infrastructure, including the purchase of essential equipment.
However, they reiterated concerns over inadequate funding and a shortage of health staff, which they believe hinder hospital operations. They asserted that resolving these issues would significantly enhance the quality of healthcare services provided to the public.
