Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has authorized a brand new wage construction for well being staff within the state.
Referred to as the Abia State Well being Staff Wage Scale (ASHWOSS), the implementation of the brand new scale will take impact from Might 1.
This was disclosed in a press release signed by the Abia State Commissioner for Well being, Prof. Ogbonnaya Uche, on Wednesday in Umuahia.
Based on Uche, the newly authorized Abia State Well being Staff Wage Scale (ASHWOSS) aligns with the federal wage construction for well being professionals, together with medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, optometrists, medical laboratory scientists, and radiographers.
“Which means, with impact from Might 1, 2025, Abia well being staff will start to obtain the identical remuneration as their counterparts in federal well being establishments,” he mentioned.
771 new well being staff to be recruited
Uche additionally introduced that the state will recruit 771 new well being staff, together with medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers, and different classes of healthcare professionals.
He defined that the determine was decided via a wants evaluation carried out throughout the well being amenities and companies below the Ministry of Well being.
Funding and incentives for workforce enlargement
Uche acknowledged that the federal government has authorized the discharge of funds to cowl the salaries of the 771 new well being staff to be recruited into the state’s healthcare workforce.
He added that Governor Alex Otti has directed the Ministry of Well being to barter a particular emolument bundle aimed toward attracting and retaining vital human sources for the well being sector.
Specialist recruitment targets key areas
Based on him, the state is looking for to recruit consultants and specialists in key medical fields, together with laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgical procedure, anesthesia and intensive care, transplant and robotic surgical procedure, cardiac and neurosurgery, in addition to neonatology.
Different precedence areas for specialist recruitment embody interventional radiology, neurology, cardiology, nephrology, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopedics, and cosmetic surgery on a case-by-case foundation, as the necessity arises.
Uche famous that every one these approvals will take impact from Might 1.
What you must know
Well being staff in Abia State have lengthy confronted critical challenges starting from unpaid salaries and poor infrastructure in well being amenities to a scarcity of expert personnel. These points have considerably strained the healthcare system and hindered efficient service supply.
In response, Governor Alex Otti’s administration has allotted 15% of the state’s price range to the well being sector. This funding is aimed toward bettering infrastructure, making certain common wage funds, and offering skilled improvement alternatives for well being staff.


