Ekiti to recruit more doctors, health workers

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has said his administration will recruit more medical doctors and health workers for all general hospitals and basic health centres across the state.

He added that the medical personnel would be given improved welfare package as a way of curbing shortage of medical personnel in government hospitals.

The governor also said his administration had made quality healthcare accessible, available, and affordable for the people of the state in a bid to ensure the wellbeing of the citizens.

He disclosed that the government was also renovating one primary health centre in each of the 177 wards in the state.

According to a statement by Oyebanji’s Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, the governor stated these on Monday while inspecting road projects and comprehensive renovation of nine general hospitals in the state, adding that government was collaborating with members of Ekiti Caucus of the National Assembly for the massive recruitment of doctors and other health workers for the state’s hospitals.

The Governor said the National Assembly members, under the arrangement, will bear the cost of salaries and allowances of the newly recruited doctors and health workers for one year.

This, he said,  will help stem the tide of shortage of medical personnel particularly doctors and nurses in health facilities in the state, and ensure effective utilization of the modern equipment  and facilities being put in place by the government.

The governor urged residents of the state to make use of the newly renovated hospitals in order to justify government’s huge investment in the health sector.

Reiterating the commitment of his administration to the provision of quality and accessible healthcare services for Ekiti people, Oyebanji said he is happy that the people of the state are now enjoying dividends of democracy as a reward for the trust reposed in him through their votes.

He added that his government will not only renovate the nine secondary health facilities but would also equip them with state-of-the-art facilities to meet global standards.

The governor maintained that the transformation of the health facilities is one of the gains of continuity in government as his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi had renovated 11 General Hospitals before leaving office in 2022.

The governor who also inspected some road projects being constructed through the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing (RAAMP), expressed satisfaction on the quality of work done.

He explained that over 1000 kilometers of rural access road is being constructed across the state, through the RAAMP.

“We signed a contract with Ekiti people the day they came out to vote for us and there are certain expectations from the government. So what we are seeing today is a result of two years of hard work, planning, and two years of weightlifting. As a state, we are punching above our weight and it all speaks to the gains of continuity. We have 22 General hospitals in the state.

“Governor Fayemi renovated 11 before he left and we are currently doing nine and we are not only renovating them, we are equipping simultaneously and out of that nine, four are already completed”.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, commended the governor for his commitment to the health sector. He noted that the governor’s dedication to making healthcare accessible, affordable, and available has brought about significant improvements in the state’s healthcare delivery.

In their separate remarks, the traditional rulers of the benefiting communities, the Alare of Are Ekiti, Oba Boluwade Adebiyi, Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, Oba Sunday Awe, Oniye of Iye Ekiti, Oba Jonathan Oni, and Onifaki of Ifaki Ekiti, Oba John Adegbenro all expressed their appreciation to the governor for the visible improvement in all the critical sectors of the state

While commending the governor for prioritizing the welfare of the people through several initiatives, the traditional rulers described the transformation and massive development in the state as unprecedented.

Part of the projects inspected are Are-Oye road, Ilupeju-Igbo Egan-Ayede road, Iye-Olopomeji-Ikun road, Iye, Ifaki, and Itapa-Ilupeju General Hospital, Ijesa – Isu General Hospital and Ijan General Hospital.