By Abiodun Lawal

Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has approved the payment of hazard allowance for health workers in the state.

The governor announced the approval at a meeting with health workers at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta, on Thursday.

He noted that the state health workers had been going through a lot in the course of discharging their duties, hence the need to encourage them.

“I know that some of you go into depression and other forms of health hazards, so I am going to approve your hazard allowance.

“I want you to liaise with us on how to address the brain drain which is affecting the health sector.

“I am sure with your collaboration, we can find a solution to this problem,” the governor said.

Abiodun described the state as an incubation centre for the production of health professionals, adding that his administration had intervened in the health sector in the area of increased budgetary allocation.

He also said the government had intervened through renovation of health facilities, including Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.

Abiodun also said schools of nursing had been upgraded to colleges of nursing for improved teaching and learning.

He pledged to provide adequate professionals to man health facilities in the state

Abiodun said that the Mother/ Child Hospital at Iperu-Remo had been inaugurated, adding as a blood transfusion centre would be built in the state.

The governor thanked health workers for supporting his administration by rendering selfless service to the people of the state.

He said their dedication to duty had made the sector record successes in less than four years since the inception of his administration .

In her welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, appreciated the state government for improving the health sector through its investment in the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and upgrade of facilities in health institutions.

She said the meeting was to appreciate the governor for taking the sector to the next level in terms of improved facilities and welfare of health workers.

Coker expressed the hope that health workers would join hands with the state government to further improve the sector.

Earlier, Dr Adekunle Ashimi , State Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, described the health workers as special people ,daily exposed to danger, owing the nature of their job.

Ashimi ,therefore ,said payment of hazard allowance to health workers in the state was necessary.

He said though the government had invested so much in the health sector, more still needed to be done to further improve the sector (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Buhari Bolaji