By IJENDU IHEAKA

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has approved a new salary scale for Abia health workers, known as Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS), with effect from May 1.

This is contained in a statement signed by the state Health Commissioner, Prof Ogbonnaya Uche on Wednesday in Umuahia.

According to Uche, the new Abia salary scale is equal with the federal salary structure for Health workers, Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Optometrists, Physiotherapists, medical laboratory scientists and radiographers.

?This means that Abia Health workers with effect from May 1st 2025 will begin to enjoy the same pay as their federal government counterparts.

?Abia will also recruit 771 new health workers including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical lab scientists, physiotherapists , radiographers and other categories of healthcare workers.

?This number was based on the result of needs assessment performed across the health facilities and agencies of the Ministry of Health,? he said.

Uche said that the government has also approved the release of funds to cover the emolument of the 771 new staff to be recruited into the healthcare workforce.

He noted that the governor had directed the ministry to negotiate a special emolument package to attract and retain critical human resources for the health sector in the state.

He said the required hands included consultants and specialists in critical medical fields.

Uche said the needed medical experts would have special skills in laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery, anesthesia and intensive care, transplant and robotic surgery, cardiac and neurosurgery and neonatology.

?Other areas requiring specialists include: interventional (radiology, neurology, cardiology and nephrology) ophthalmology, oncology, orthopedics and plastic surgery on a case by case basis as may be applicable.?

He said all the approvals would take effect from May 1. (NAN)

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