The Bauchi state government has approved a new salary structure and welfare package for medical doctors and other health personnel in a move to address the scarcity of doctors in the state.
This was disclosed by the Head of Service, Mohammed Umar, while briefing journalists at the end of the State Executive Council Meeting on Friday.
Umar said the council gave approval for a comprehensive remuneration and welfare package to attract and retain doctors and other health workers in the state.
The HoS explained that Governor Bala Mohammed was deeply concerned with the rate at which doctors and frontline workers, such as midwives, abandoned the state, leading to a significant manpower shortage.
He explained further that the state government constituted a committee to investigate the trend found that medical doctors were leaving the state because of the issue of the welfare package.
He said “Council has approved the implementation of a comprehensive salary structure in the state, including Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and COHESS for health workers.
“Council also ratified and approved that welfare package will include housing, car loans, allowances that have to do with rural posting, security around health institutions, improvement about what has already been done about working equipment, perimeter fence in our health institutions, including welfare and salary package for youth corps members, that are working in facility.
“The aim is to attract and retain health workers in the state. Others are lingering issues that have to do with the promotion and advancement of medical officers and other personnel, including pre-service training,” he said.
He disclosed that a committee would be set to facilitate the implementation of the agreed salary package for doctors and other health workers in the state.