Governor Siminalayi Fubara has said his administration has recorded significant progress in the health sector over the past two and a half years, including the employment of more than 2,000 health workers to strengthen service delivery.
Fubara disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onwuka Nzeshi, in Port Harcourt.
According to the governor, the recruitment drive was aimed at boosting manpower and improving operational efficiency across public health institutions in Rivers State.
He listed other key interventions to include the revitalisation of major health facilities, the establishment of a state health insurance scheme and the rehabilitation of previously abandoned hospitals.
Fubara noted that zonal hospitals in Bori, Omoku, Ahoada and Degema had been revamped. He highlighted the 105-bed Ahoada Zonal Hospital, a secondary healthcare facility, as a critical provider of medical services within its catchment area.
The governor said his administration also prioritised Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), particularly in rural communities, to expand access to quality healthcare.
He revealed that approval had been granted for the remodelling of 153 PHCs across the state to improve their functionality and standards.
“As an administration, we are very passionate about the health of every citizen and resident of Rivers State,” Fubara said.
He added that in response to economic pressures affecting residents, the government introduced mental health services at the primary healthcare level to ensure timely support beyond treatment of common illnesses such as malaria.
The governor further disclosed that the Intensive Care Unit of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital had been upgraded and equipped with modern facilities, including monitors, ventilators and scanners.
Describing the interventions as far-reaching, Fubara said his administration had also improved staff welfare, approved the promotion of more than 400 teaching hospital personnel and recruited an additional 500 workers to enhance service delivery.
He added that scholarships for indigenes studying at the PAMO University of Medical Sciences had been increased from 100 to 150 beneficiaries.
Fubara reiterated his commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and ensuring accessible and affordable medical services for residents across Rivers State.
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