By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Students of Health Colleges in Bauchi state have urged the Government to as a matter of urgency look into the myriad of challenges militating against smooth operations of the institutions.
The students are also demanding for pregradustion employment into the service in order to check the Jappa syndrome that has hit the health sector of the state in recent years.
Speaking at the 2024 World Health Worker Week organised by the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the USAID Nigeria Health Workforce Management Activity and other Professional Associations, the students unanimously called for attention in the direction of improved learning environment.
Aishatu Abubakar Kawule expressed her readiness to work for the state as soon as she graduated but lamented that the hope is not there are many who have graduated before her are still roaming around looking for engagement.
She stressed that the fear of the unknown after graduation is having negative effects on their studying appealing that something must be done urgently to salvage the situation.
Also speaking DanAzumi Usman Shehu though commended the Government for investing in the health sector, he called for attention on manpower development in order to have an effective and efficient healthcare service delivery.
He wonder what will be the outcome of Health facilities without adequate manpower to work in the facilities stressing that the institutions have the capacities to produced qualified personnel.
DanAzumi Shehu however gave assurance that most of the students are ready to work and serve the State in any facility they are engaged in stressing that since the state has invested in them, they are ready to give back.
Two management staff of the Health institutions who spoke differently stressed the importance of pregradustion employment of the students as it will stop them from migrating to other places for service.
The two of them agreed that the government must live up to its responsibility of providing quality and effective healthcare services to the people of the state by engaging the qualified health personnel that the institutions are churning out yearly.
At the end of the programme, some of the students were encouraged to stay back and take up employment offered to them either by the government or private health sector.
