By CHUWANG DUNGS, Lafia

Nasarawa State Government on Friday ordered medical doctors working in public hospitals in the state to shut down their private clinics and hospitals.

The government also said that it is set to introduce a special scholarship scheme, for indigenes of the state studying medicine, nursing and midwifery.

The decision was taken at yesterday’s State Executive Council (SEC) meeting presided by Governor Abdullahi Sule at the Council Chamber, Government House, Lafia.

Throwing more light on the order, State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, explained that the state executive council has endorsed the resolution of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, calling for all doctors in government payroll who own and manage private clinics and hospitals, to close their clinics in order to concentrate on the government hospitals were they earn salaries.

“This is to avoid a scenario where government-employed doctors divert patients to their private clinics for other financial considerations,” the council stated.

Shedding more light on the scholarship scheme, the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon. Dogo Shammah, said the special scholarship scheme to be introduced, will seek to encourage indigenes to take to studying medicine, nursing and midwifery, in order to reduce cases of inadequate personnel in the state’s health sector. (Saturday Tribune)