Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has reiterated his commitment to seeing that the health sector in the state is revived and restored under his administration, News About Nigeria reports.
The governor gave his commitment while declaring open the first-ever Abia State Council on Health held on Wednesday at the Ochendo International Conference Centre Umuahia.
He noted that his administration will ensure that it continues to see to the welfare of health workers in the state, and will introduce an enhanced welfare package for medical personnel in its employ from 2024.
According to him, this will help in mitigating the migration of health professionals, especially doctors and nurses, to foreign countries in search of greener pastures.
Otti, who maintained that his administration had met the health sector in the state in a deplorable manner, promised to change the tide in his tenure and restore the health sector in the state to one that the people will be proud of.
He disclosed that his desire for better health care in the state was the driving force behind the allocation of 15% in the 2024 budget proposal, adding that he will fulfil the promises he made during his campaign to make the state’s healthcare a priority.
He further noted that his administration has begun taking steps towards reviving the health sector in the state, including prompt payment of salaries, adding that he decided to defray the backlog of salary arrears of doctors in the state to end their incessant strike actions and save the health sector from total collapse.
