Kaduna State Government Approves Payment of Medical Residency and Training Allowances for Doctors

Strategic Insights -

Kaduna state's efforts to improve its health sector have taken a significant leap with Governor Uba Sani's approval of payments for medical residency, training, and hazard allowances for all medical doctors. The Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Umma K Ahmed, disclosed that the monthly allowance will range from N35,000 to N40,000, aiming to ease the hardships faced by these doctors. Additionally, the governor has approved the recruitment of 1,800 health workers for Primary Health Care centres, with plans to address the shortage of nurses and midwives in the state.

Key Takeaways:

  • Governor Uba Sani has approved the balance of 2024 and 2025 payments of medical residency, training, and hazard allowances for all medical doctors in Kaduna state.
  • The monthly allowance for medical doctors will range from N35,000 to N40,000, aimed at easing their hardships.
  • The governor has approved the recruitment of 1,800 health workers for Primary Health Care centres to address the shortage of healthcare staff in the state.
  • The Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Umma K Ahmed, has presented a memo for the recruitment of health workers for secondary facilities and teaching hospitals, pending approval from the governor.
  • The International Society of Media in Public Health (ISPH) has organised a three-day workshop for health reporters in Kaduna, focusing on health literacy and informed reporting.
  • The Gates Foundation has been working in Kaduna State for over a decade, supporting routine immunisation and broader health system strengthening.
  • The Gates Foundation operates as a funding partner, supporting governments and implementing organisations like EngenderHealth and ISMPH to execute projects in the health sector.
  • The media play a critical role in translating health challenges and needs into compelling stories that resonate with the public and policymakers alike, according to Gates Foundation representative Dr. Anthony Shamang.
  • ISMPH views the media as strategic partners in development, with a role beyond dissemination, including helping to drive behavior change.
  • The training is part of a larger initiative to improve media literacy around health topics and build the capacity of reporters to drive community-level change through informed reporting.

Statistics:

  • 1,800 health workers will be recruited for Primary Health Care centres in Kaduna state.
  • 5,000 plus nurses and midwives are needed in Kaduna state, while the current number of staff in this cadre is 2,000 plus.
  • The Gates Foundation has worked in Kaduna State for over a decade, supporting routine immunisation and broader health system strengthening.
  • 500,000 is the amount of funds needed for a health intervention, but the decision-makers could not understand the technical justification behind it.

Sources:

  • Hajiya Umma K Ahmed, Commissioner of Health, Kaduna state
  • Dr. Anthony Shamang, health systems consultant, Gates Foundation
  • Moji Makanjuola, Executive Director, ISMPH
  • Solomon Dogo, ISMPH Program Director
  • EngenderHealth
  • CCSI
  • LISDEL
  • International Society of Media in Public Health (ISPH)