The Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, has expressed concern over the high attrition rate of healthcare workers in the state, blaming the trend on the growing “Jakpa syndrome” (the mass exodus of professionals seeking opportunities abroad).
Speaking on Thursday during a two-day seminar organized by the Delta State Government for community newspaper publishers, Dr. Onojaeme revealed that out of 90 nurses employed in the past two years, only 34 remain in service. The same challenges, he noted, are affecting the recruitment of doctors and other specialists across the state’s healthcare facilities.
According to the commissioner who was represented by his Special Assistant/Technical Adviser, Dr. Omovigho Agbele, “When we came in, we employed about 90 nurses. Today, less than 35 are still with us. There was a permanent secretary who complained about the lack of doctors in her local government. I told her to bring three doctors for employment. Four months later, she’s still struggling to find any,” the commissioner said.
He added that the government had hired over 25 specialists last year, including two new surgeons, and recruited more than 150 staff to man approximately 45 newly equipped primary healthcare centers across the state.
Dr. Onojaeme acknowledged the growing frustration among residents regarding extortion and poor attitudes of staff in government hospitals. He urged the public to use established channels of complaint, including reporting to the Medical Director or hospital administrators, assuring that such cases would be addressed decisively.
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“Every month, supplies are made to the primary healthcare centers. However, the problem often lies with those managing the facilities. You discover that some things patients are asked to pay for have already been provided free. We need people to report such cases promptly,” he said.
On the delay in operationalizing the Agbarha-Otor General Hospital, the commissioner cited infrastructural gaps and shortage of personnel. “We discovered that we needed to change doors and add new structures. But the main issue remains a lack of manpower,” he explained.
In response to the workforce crisis, the state government is considering offering incentives to discourage health workers from leaving. Proposed incentives include housing schemes, car loans, and long-term deductions from salaries to secure property, which could serve as a form of retention.
“We are trying to ‘tie’ them down with incentives. If they are provided houses that are paid off in 30 years and they choose to leave before that time, they lose the property. We’re also advocating for support systems to encourage them to stay,” the commissioner stated.
To further mitigate the looming healthcare personnel crisis, the retirement age for health workers in the state has been increased to 65 years, in a bid to retain the existing workforce longer.
Dr. Onojaeme reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving the healthcare system, while calling for community collaboration and timely reporting of irregularities to enhance service delivery.
