Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the recruitment of over 700 medical and non-medical personnel to boost healthcare delivery across the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed this during a press briefing, noting that the move is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the health sector alongside recent infrastructural upgrades.
He explained that the recruitment was driven by increased demand for healthcare services, following key developments such as the upgrade of General Hospital Warri to a Central Hospital and the near completion of the Mother and Child Hospital in Ekpan.
According to Onojaeme, 295 personnel will be deployed to the Hospital Management Board, 120 to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, and 100 to the College of Health Technology, Ovrode. He added that Asaba Specialist Hospital and Warri Central Hospital will receive 60 and 12 staff, respectively.
The commissioner noted that the exercise is also aimed at addressing workforce shortages caused by the migration of healthcare professionals, commonly referred to as the “Japa syndrome.” He added that the state maintains a policy of replacing departing personnel to ensure continuity in service delivery.
He further highlighted ongoing projects, including a State Public Health Laboratory nearing completion and a new psychiatric hospital under construction, both of which will require additional manpower.
Onojaeme also revealed that the government has procured three 1.5 Tesla MRI machines and expanded dialysis services, reducing treatment costs in some facilities to about N45,000.
He assured that the recruitment process would be transparent and merit-based, with vacancies to be advertised in both national and local newspapers.
