Why we declared state of emergency in health sector – Akwa Ibom Govt

Akwa Ibom Government has declared a state of emergency in the health sector after an embarrassing maternal mortality incident at a government-run hospital claimed the lives of a pregnant young mother and her newborn.

The incident occurred at the General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene, a major urban centre of the state raising concerns about the state of the health sector particularly, funding, facilities and manpower as well as the welfare of health workers.

Though the state government swiftly responded by raising a multi-sectoral taskforce to investigate the incident with a view to checking its recurrence, the committee was said to have submitted to the report to the commissioner for health, Ekem Emmanuel John but the recommendations were not made public by the state government.

However, the resolution adopted after the state executive council meeting in Uyo on Friday and made available to the media and presided over by Governor Umo Eno, the state government announced that it has declared a state of emergency in the health sector with plans to undertake a comprehensive review of the state’s healthcare development road map.

“Council also undertook a comprehensive review of the State’s healthcare development road map, after which the Governor declared a State of Emergency on the Health Sector to accelerate reforms and deliver efficient healthcare services,” commisssoner for information, Aniekan Umanah said in a statement.

According to the resolution, “the key directives under this emergency regime include further upgrade of medical facilities across the State, reopening of the recruitment portal and engagement of 2,000 healthcare workers, with the VIN requirement waived for applicants.

“Council further directed the upgrading of health training institutions, enrollment and training of health professionals, as well as the engagement of retired but willing medical personnel on contract basis. To ensure effective implementation of the emergency regime, an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee was constituted to ensure the effective implementation of the emergency regime.

The latest committee coms after the health commissioner had set up a task force “to crash maternal mortality numbers’’ in the state following the intervention of the President Bola Tinubu who had declared that the high rate of maternal mortality in the state was unacceptable.

The declaration of state of emergency also came with the cancellation of voters identification number (VIN) which was a condition for registration on the state government’s employment portal, a requirement that was roundly condemned by many in the state.

With the decision taken by the state government, it remains to be seen how this development would bring about restoration of confidence in public health facilities in the state.