The Federal Government has granted waivers to hospitals for the employment of health workers in a bid to enhance healthcare delivery.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Health for State, revealed this during an official visit to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, on Thursday.
What he said
Alausa shared that medical directors would receive waivers for employment starting from 2024.
The Federal Ministry of Health is establishing a waiver committee that will oversee employment requests across all hospitals.
Each institution is expected to determine the number of workers needed, with checks and balances based on budget considerations.
“The president saw the need and gave the approval for us to start it in the ministry. Each institution will generate the number of workers it needs, and there will be some checks and balances based on the budget,” Alausa stated.
He emphasised the importance of accountability and transparency, assuring that hospitals would be held responsible for maintaining the given recruitment numbers.
The waiver committee will promptly address requests, ensuring a streamlined review process.
Alausa also addressed challenges faced by UCH, urging the hospital to explore alternative power sources like solar to tackle the issue of inadequate power supply. He encouraged UCH to invest in training more health specialists to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare sector.
“We commend UCH for efforts so far, but there is a need to train more personnel to meet our future needs. The Federal Government wants our healthcare to move forward. We can’t fix all the problems at once, but the good thing is that we have a direction,” he remarked.
Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, highlighted the hospital’s achievements, including specialised surgical procedures. Despite these successes, he acknowledged challenges such as frequent power cuts, high diesel costs, and insufficient water supply. The hospital remains committed to reaching higher standards in healthcare delivery.
Why this matters
In 2022, former chief medical director of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital employed 2,423 staff against the approved 450 staff waivers granted.
This led to months of unpaid salaries for staff members as the hospital could not afford to pay the excess 1,973 staff.
The Federal Ministry of Health carried out an investigation and ordered the dismissal of staff whose roles were not included in the 2022 approved waiver.
The waiver committee established by the Federal Government would oversee recruitment processes from all hospitals to reduce and eliminate job racketeering.
