Jigawa State recruits 2000 health workers to boost healthcare delivery 
By Ali Baba-Inuwa
The Jigawa State government says it has recruited over 2000 heath workers to boost healthcare service delivery in the state.
The State Head of Service,Alhaji Muhammad Dagaceri, stated this at the at the 38th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of Dental Technologists of Nigeria on Thursday in Dutse.
Dagaceri, who represented Gov. Umar
Namadi at the event, said that 2,200 J-Health were also engaged, and an additional 1,000 essential PHC workers also recruited.
“Let me also use this opportunity to inform you that, the Jigawa State Government has recruited over 2000 PHC/MOH workers, while 2,200 J-Health were engaged, and an additional 1,000 essential PHC workers were also recruited.
“Furthermore, 250 midwives/nurses were engaged into the state civil service as provided in the GAVI MoU. Additionally, a total of 1,576 medical and health personnel were upgraded based on additional qualifications they obtained, in addition to over 2,000 medical students included into the payroll of the state ministry of health,” he said.
Dagaceri said that the state was proud to host the conference and the Annual General Meeting.
“Our State is incredibly proud to host this prestigious gathering of brilliant minds, dedicated professionals, and vital stakeholders in the role of healthcare sector.
“The theme of this year’s conference “MENTORING: A tool for shaping the future of Dental Technology Profession in Nigeria” is not just timely, but central to our collective vision to ensure that mentoring is an absolutely essential and currently relevant strategy for guiding and improving the future of all professions in Nigeria.
“Dental Technologists play an indispensable, yet often quiet, role in the healthcare delivery chain. Your precision, innovation, and expertise restore not only smiles but the confidence and systemic health of millions of Nigerians.
“My dear comrades, as a government, we recognize that a healthcare system is only a strong as its workforce. We are fully aware of the challenges facing the dental technology profession in Nigeria, ranging from influx of substandard materials to the pressing need for modern laboratories and continues professional development,” he said.
He assured that the state was committed to partnering with the Association of Dental Technologists of Nigeria towards achieving mutual benefits.
“I want to assure you that our administration remains deeply committed to partnering with professional bodies like ADTN. We are actively investing in upgrades programs for our state’s dental clinics and general hospitals, ensuring that modern equipment is available for professionals to thrive. Furthermore.
“We are strengthening our regulatory and enforcement frameworks to protect your profession from quackery, ensuring that only licensed, qualified technologists handle oral prosthetics and appliances in our state. To buttress this annual “operation show me your licenses” is being carried out.
“Distinguished participants, Jigawa State consistently allocates over 15% of its annual budget to health sector, surpassing the Abuja declaration benchmark. The health sector ranked 4th in State’s capital allocation with the capital budget reaching 77% of total size.
“Distinguished Guests, Ladies and gentlemen, let me use this medium to inform you that the present administration under the leadership of Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi, FCA has invested a lot in the healthcare sector by way of renovation/construction of new basic health facilities at every ward across the State, ongoing construction and upgrading of general hospitals in Kafin Hausa, Ringim, Dutse, Hadejia and Kazaure, alongside transforming Khadijah University, Majia into the Jigawa State University of Medical and Allied Sciences to localize medical training. Currently there is ongoing work at two specialist hospitals in Hadejia and Kazaure, to ensure Jigawa State meets its tertiary healthcare needs.
“My dear comrades, the administration has also established free dialysis centres Kazaure,Gumel, Dutse and Ringim while the existing one in Hadejia has been upgraded. Non communicable diseases patients are given free treatment. This cover residents suffering from hypertension, diabetes, sickle cell disease and cancer,” he said.
He added:”The Namadi Administration has reduced the burden of poverty through healthcare financing and has championed initiatives to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare services. The sum of N1billion was released to the Jigawa Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (JICHMA) in 2024 to strengthen the social insurance scheme. J-Basic Health package is another milestone. A total of 143,500 vulnerable individuals (500 from each of the 287 wards) now receive free healthcare services under this initiative.
“My dear Comrades, I trust you will bear me witness that the Government of Jigawa State is in the fore-front in meeting its obligation to the workers. As such Jigawa State was not among the States owing backlog of gratuity, pension, and salaries of Civil Servants.
“Accordingly, measures such as the upward review of vehicle loan allocations to civil servants; prompt payment of salaries at the turn of 25th of every month; continuing of payments of pensions and gratuities no more than 30 days after retirement and numerous others, were all taken with aim of improving the overall welfare of workers in the State.
“The Government of Jigawa State is indeed committed in capacity building for its workforce in all cadres so as to implore the efficiency and competence of the workforce and thereby reducing running cost by eliminating wastage associated with incompetence and redundancy.
“It is my pleasure to inform you that Jigawa State will not relent in its efforts towards making the State Civil Servants more proactive through regular training and retraining thus improving their capacity and productivity.
“My dear comrades, I am happy to inform you that, as part of our efforts to have a more robust healthcare workforce with specialized skills, and at the same to encourage them to remain and practice within Jigawa State, thereby reducing brain drain and ensuring that the investment directly benefits the local population, 34no Doctors were sponsored for residency training, while 239no health personnel were sponsored for in-service training.”
“It is our hope that civil servants will reciprocate the Government gesture by being law abiding, honest, hardworking and dedicated to their duties the outcome which will be beneficial not only to the civil service but also to humanity in general.
“Finally, I wish you highly fruitful deliberations, impactful scientific presentations, and a memorable stay in our peaceful and beautiful state. Please take some time out of your busy schedules to experience our rich culture, hospitality, and peaceful serene environment.
“On this note, I wish to, in the name of Allah (S.W.A) the Beneficent, the most Merciful, declare the 38th Scientific Conference and annual general meeting of the Association of Dental Technologists of Nigeria officially open. I also pray to Allah to grant you journey mercies back to your destinations”.
