With reports about extortion by some public health personnel, the director-general of Cross River primary healthcare development agency, Betta Edu, has said that the state government has resolved to sanction not less than 54 of such accused officials.
Fifty-four healthcare workers in Cross River State are to be sanctioned over alleged extortion of money from patients in different primary healthcare facilities across the state.
Betta Edu, the director-general, Cross River primary healthcare development agency, made this known on Friday, July 13, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.
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Edu told NAN that the agency had set up a disciplinary committee to look into the petition, including absenteeism and gross misconduct of members of staff.
She added that the committee would also checkmate the workers and punish the offenders with a view to serve as a deterrent to others. Edu, who did not disclose the category of sanctions for the erring workers, warned them to shun all forms of sharp practices.
She said: “Some of the issues at the primary healthcare level are the extortion of money under the table by charging members of the public for the services that are supposed to be free.
“Also, the issue of workers’ absenteeism and reporting to work late are hindering the smooth delivery of healthcare services, especially at the rural areas. Gov. Ben Ayade is a labour-friendly personality who has been paying workers’ salaries and rural allowances on time and as such, there is no need for sharp practices."
The director-general said that the agency was looking into improving the integrated supportive supervision for members of staff with a view to ensuring that primary health care facilities were open for service accordingly.
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She advised residents in the rural communities to always report any erring health worker, who demand money from them for health services. Edu said that medical service delivery at the primary health care level was completely free.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that courts in Cross Rivers state were shut down on Monday, July 2, as lawyers under the aegis of Law Officers’ Association of Nigeria (LOAN) hit the street to demand immediate implementation of harmonised salary.
NAIJ.com gathered that the lawyers, working in the state Ministry of Justice, claimed that the Cross River government has failed to implement the harmonised salary between those of them at the Ministry of Justice and their colleagues who were appointed magistrates from the rank.
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Source: Naija.ng