By Saidu Adamu, Jalingo
Concerns are mounting in Taraba State’s healthcare sector over the continued neglect of more than 450 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), who have stayed for 10 months without salaries.
Stakeholders fear that if urgent steps are not taken, neighbouring states in need of their services could attract them thereby eroding the progress made in grassroots immunization and vaccination campaigns.
Speaking at the State Task Force quarterly review meeting in Jalingo, the Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (TSPHCDA), Dr. Tukura Nyigwa, also warned that the state’s failure to release counterpart funds for various health interventions could soon cripple programmes, given the limited resources of development partners who have been filling the gap.
On the plight of the CHEWs, Nyigwa recalled that under a memorandum of understanding with GAVI/UNICEF, the state government had agreed to absorb the 450 workers into the civil service once the funding agencies stopped paying them.
He, however, said since October last year, the workers have not received their monthly stipend of ₦40,000, even as their full integration into the state workforce remains pending.
He appealed to Governor Agbu Kefas to intervene before the workers lose morale and down tools.
“We have recorded a lot of progress in the healthcare sector, especially with the upgrade of 113 primary healthcare facilities from Level 1 to 2.
“But human capital which is key to the progress we have made may be stagnated. If we have upgraded facilities without the manpower to serve our people, it won’t speak well of us.”
Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Governor, Aminu Alkali, who is the Chairman of the State Task force team, represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to governor Kefas, Emmanuel Lawson, Nyigwa also urged for the timely release of funds for the upcoming Measles-Rubella campaign, which targets all children aged 9 months to 14 years.
Also speaking, Dr. Jimoh Mohammed of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, stressed the importance of strengthening the health workforce and pledged the organisation’s continued technical support to the state.
