Resident doctors have commended the health policies of
the Bayelsa State government.
National President of the Nigerian Association of
Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Osundayo Tope, gave the commendation on Wednesday
when he presented the Champion of Residency Training Award to Governor Douye
Diri in Government House, Yenagoa.
Dr. Tope said Bayelsa was the only state in Nigeria to
domesticate the Residency Training Act and that Governor had meticulously
implemented its provisions.
The NARD President hailed the impact of the healthcare
policies of the state government, particularly in residency training,
employment and welfare of doctors.
He said the training of doctors had helped with human
resource management, recruitment, training of skilled health workers among
other policies that were lacking in other states of the country.
Dr. Tope also appreciated the governor for the
2022/2023 medical residency training grant to resident doctors, implementation
of proper placement of doctors and approval of their revised hazard allowance.
He said other notable achievements in the health
sector included renovation of the House Officers quarters at the Niger Delta
University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri as well as implementation of the 35 per
cent upward salary review for doctors on call duty.
“Bayelsa is the only state in Nigeria that has
domesticated the Medical Residency Training Act. The import of this is that it
has strengthened the human resource for skilled health workers as it has helped
with equipment in health institutions.
“We are grappling with shortage of manpower in the
country. But domestication of the Residency Training Act will bring more people
to come work in this state’s health facilities. And this will improve on the
global health security and universal health coverage.
“Part of your valuable achievements is that you have
also paid the 2022/2023 medical residency training grant to resident doctors in
the state. You have even gone beyond that to implement the skipping and proper
placement of doctors, and approval of the revised hazard allowance.”
He further stated that Governor Diri had upgraded the
state-owned School of Nursing to a College of Nursing, and had employed more
than 500 health workers.
Responding, Governor Douye Diri explained that the
zeal to revamp healthcare delivery,
manpower and equipment was to discourage brain drain in the sector.
He said the health sector was too important to be
ignored and that the expertise of its personnel were in demand outside the
country after being trained domestically.
His words: “We cannot continue to search for health
outside Nigeria when we cannot take care of the very few workers that we
already have. There is nothing wrong to also export our skills outside the
shores of Nigeria but let it not be to our own detriment.
“That is why my administration is investing heavily in
the health sector. We must sustain our capacity and affect the standard of
living of our people. Issues of health and education must continue to gain
priority from this government.”
Diri approved the request for release of fund for the
2024/2025 residency training as well as the provision of
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