The Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Joseph Johnson, says no fewer than 1,000 health workers have been employed by the Gov. Siminalayi Fubara-led administration.

Johnson disclosed this on Thursday in Port Harcourt while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the governor’s performance after one year in office.

He said that the decision to recruit more health workers was to ensure effective service delivery in the healthcare sector.

“The recruitment is intended to reinforce the staff strength of the health sector in the state.

“The state government has also approved the promotion of medical doctors in the state employ, payment of step increments and new hazard allowance,” he said.

The commissioner said that many medical personnel in the state service left the country in search of greener pastures.

“They complained of lack of incentives. So the current administration decided to recruit more medical personnel across various disciplines and specialties,” he said.

Johnson said that the government had taken steps towards kick starting the state Contributory Health Insurance Scheme.

“We have already appointed an executive secretary for the agency. Moribond health centres across the state have been rehabilitated and reopened.

“We have also put measures in place to reactivate of zonal hospitals in some major towns such as Okehi, Bori, Degema and Ahoada.

“These facilities will serve as secondary health institutions, and will offer referral services,” he said.

He said that teaching hospitals in state were already under pressure because most zonal hospitals were not functional.

“To demonstrate our commitment to enliven the health sector, we have constituted the Rivers State University Hospital and the Primary Healthcare management boards.

“These boards will give us the necessary feedback to reevaluate what is going on across all our facilities,” he said.

On education, the commissioner said that the governor had increased the scholarship award to Rivers indigenes in PAMO University in order to ensure excellence in medical studies.

Johnson further said that the government had released the sum of N2 billion for 2023 statutory grant to the Rivers State University.

The commissioner said that the government had provided educational material to aid teachers and students in primary and secondary schools in the state.

“Our primary and secondary schools are tuition-free. The essence is to encourage our people to access education with ease,” he said. (NAN)