By Esther Edebor
The Edo State Government is ensuring that there is no vacuum left in terms of manpower in the healthcare sector by setting up a system that will guarantee adequate personnel at all times.
This assurance was given by the Head of Service, Barr. Anthony Okungbowa, Esq. at the expanded meeting of the State’s Hospital Management Agency (HMA) in Benin City to deliberate on issues faced and how to surmount them while proposing a new course to providing quality secondary healthcare services to Edo people.
Barr. Okungbowa noted that healthcare workers who are leaving either as a result of seeking greener pastures or retirement cannot be replaced in terms of experience. “The experience in the system is a special one for us. We have no choice but to ensure that there is no deficit in the health sector”, he added.
In her address, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, charged the team to reevaluate themselves and remain steadfast in their commitment to the effective execution of their duties to the people. “As leaders in the health space, we need to do our soul-searching; ask ourselves if there are things we are doing wrong.
“The old order cannot continue if we want to see a different secondary healthcare system,” she said.
Prof. Akoria urged the administrators to do the most with what they have in a bid to demonstrate their competence to the government while seeking to drive a new era in the secondary healthcare sector in the State.
The Permanent Secretary, HMA Dr. Efosa Aisien, stated that the meeting being the first expanded meeting for the year 2023 was necessary in order to set the course and goals for the year ahead and work towards achieving them.
The event which held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), had lectures on Change Management and Patient-centered Hospital Services delivered by the Managing Director of JOOPSA, Ms. Precious Ajoonu, and the People’s Experience Director of Edo Specialist Hospital, Mrs. Charity Babatunde, respectively.
The meeting which had in attendance administrators and representatives of HMA zones from across the state, gave room to the review of the gains and setbacks of the previous year, while recommending ways to address the downside.
Some of the goals for 2023 include the digitalisation of hospital services and taking advantage of local partnerships in hospitals.
