… each doctor to get N.9 as grant
By Nelson Utip
Governor Simi Fubara has released the sum of 300 million naira to the 398 Medical doctors in Rivers State civil service to prevent them from looking for greener pastures abroad, as this is becoming the order of the day in the country. The fund is to
cover two consecutive years – 2023-2024 – Residency Training Grant requirements with payments ranging from N800,000 to N900,000 per resident doctor for each year.
It’s on record that a total of 215 resident doctors received the funding for the year 2023, while 174 resident doctors have so far received the training grant in 2024 in the State.
Governor Fubura has set a new record with this gesture in the healthcare funding as residency training grant has only been paid twice in the past 16 years, with the last paid in 2018.
With this, the governor has reemphasized his administration’s commitment towards ensuring that the training initiative aimed at supporting the professional development of doctors, at both the Junior and Senior residency cadres, is sustained.
Governor Fubara believes that with this support from his administration, the benefitting medical doctors would be dully trained as an essential stage of graduate medical education, aimed at equipping them with the competence needed to enable them offer the best service while working in the employ of the state government.
The Hon Commissioner for Health, Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, reacting to the governor’s gesture, acknowledged the importance of the course updates and components to the capacity of the personnel to address the challenges in quality healthcare delivery in the State.
“These are essential for doctors to stay current with the latest medical knowledge and practices, ensuring they can provide the best possible care to patients.
“Research is a critical component of medical training, and these funds help cover the costs associated with developing and presenting research proposals and dissertations.
“Also, travelling to examination centres can be costly, especially for doctors stationed in various parts of the State. For these examinations which are usually held outside the State, and in some cases, outside the country, this funding ensures that transportation costs do not hinder their ability to attend necessary examinations.” The Commissioner said while emphasizing the burden examination fees pose on medical personnel.
“The examination fees for the Parts I and II residency exams are very expensive, and by covering these fees, the government ensures that financial constraints do not prevent doctors from advancing in their careers.” She said.
Dr. Oreh thanked the Governor for his support and making the welfare of Health workers a priority of his administration, emphasizing
that the gesture of Gov Fubara who is only a year in the saddle will impact positively on the health service delivery for the people of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
