Medical personnel in the Ogun State Civil/Public Service has been called upon to sustain the cooperation and harmony being enjoyed in the health sector, as the era of banging of tables has passed away,

The Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya made the call while receiving the Executive Members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ogun State Branch led by its Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Ashimi, on a courtesy visit to his office.

According to him, the state government under the friendly leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun should be commended for his passion towards the wellness and wellbeing of the practitioners as exemplified in the increment of budgetary allocation of health workers to 12%, as Ogun is one of the very few states gradually inching towards the WHO recommended 15%, as well as the standing approval to continuously employ health workers to maintain a threshold without going through the usual process for recruitment.

This, the Head of Service said is to ensure continuous replacement of workforce in the face of staff shortage with recruitment presently ongoing in the Hospitals Management Board and the Ministry of Health, while payment of hazard allowance to all health workers is not left out, all in a bid to address the JAPA syndrome being experienced in the sector.

Other interventions include palliative allowances extended to health workers, renovation of Primary Health Centres with construction of staff quarters and installation of solar system to create a conducive working environment for the workers, amongst others, with a charge on them to continue to put in their best to further move the State forward.

Earlier, the Chairman, Dr. Ashimi had tabled before the Head of service the challenges being confronted by them in the discharge of their duties, especially the brain drain in the sector.

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development led by the Director, Urban Development, Tpl. Abiola Ayodele also visited the Head of Service in his office.