HEALTH: Zamfara Approves Higher Pay for Doctors, Recruits 631 Health Workers
The Zamfara State Government has approved a new salary structure for medical doctors that exceeds the federal government pay scale, as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and retain skilled personnel in the state. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nafisa Muhammad Maradun, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing journalists on recent interventions in the […]
The Zamfara State Government has approved a new salary structure for medical doctors that exceeds the federal government pay scale, as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and retain skilled personnel in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nafisa Muhammad Maradun, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing journalists on recent interventions in the health sector.
She said the state government has also commenced the recruitment of 631 medical personnel, mainly nurses and midwives, to man general hospitals across the state.
According to her, the recruitment drive is aimed at addressing acute manpower shortages and improving service delivery in public health facilities.
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“The administration of Governor Dauda Lawal is also planning to recruit an additional 800 health workers specifically for primary healthcare centres,” she said, adding that strengthening primary healthcare remains a top priority of the government.
Dr. Maradun revealed that over 100 clinic projects are currently under construction across the state, noting that “dedicated safe delivery initiative rooms are being established in these facilities to improve maternal and child health outcomes.”
She further said the government has invested in modern medical equipment, including MRI and endoscopy machines, as well as other diagnostic tools, to enhance diagnosis and treatment in state-owned facilities.
On staff welfare, the commissioner said, “Governor Dauda Lawal has approved a new salary structure for medical doctors that is above the federal government pay scale,” adding that a committee is reviewing welfare packages and salary structures for other categories of health workers.
She also disclosed that three zonal referral centres have been established in Talata Mafara, Shinkafi and Gummi to bring specialised healthcare closer to rural communities.
Highlighting financial interventions in the sector, Dr. Maradun said N200 million has been provided for the Drug Management Department, while over 30,000 vulnerable residents and all local government staff across the 14 local government areas have been enrolled under the Zamfara State Health Care Management Agency.
She added that the Zamfara State College of Nursing Sciences received instructional materials worth N50 million to improve the training of future health workers.
The commissioner also underscored the importance of international partnerships, noting that the state enjoys cordial relations with the World Health Organisation and other development partners.
“We cannot succeed without these partnerships,” she said, expressing confidence that Zamfara would significantly bridge its medical manpower gap and improve access to quality healthcare for residents before the end of the year.