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The four million people in Adamawa State have barely 300 medical doctors to cater for their healthcare needs, Dr Tonde Gargah, Chairman of the state’s Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) chapter, has said.
Gargah disclosed this in a speech at the Adamawa Democracy Day Town Hall Meeting, held on Friday in Yola.
“The population of the doctors grossly falls short of the recommendations by World Health Organisation which suggests one doctor to about 600 people.
“The situation in the state is now one doctor catering for 13,300 people. This is grossly inadequate.
“But, in spite of the little number of health personnel in the state, their welfare is the least, if compared with neighbouring states in the region,” Gargah said.
The chairman called on the state government to look into the welfare of the medical doctors so as to boost their morale for effective healthcare delivery.
Gargah observed that the population of Adamawa was rapidly rising, especially in Yola South Local Government Area, and urged government to build more hospitals to boost healthcare delivery.
Responding, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri said that within the one year in office, his administration had recorded tremendous infrastructural and human capital development across the state.
Fintiri said that after the recent recruitment of 2,000 teachers, government was making arrangement to recruit health workers.
“Surely, the health sector in the state is lacking personnel; this issue deserves urgent treatment.
“We have already put in measures to boost the educational sector. We want every child to access free education from primary to secondary school levels.”
Fintiri assured local government workers that they would soon start receiving their full salaries with the national minimum wage policy implemented.
He said that local government authorities had been given full autonomy, and expressed happiness that most of them had embarked on developmental projects to boost the living standards of their local communities. (NAN)
