FG Plans To Use Performance-Based Wages For Health Workers

Concerned over the increasing relocation of healthcare professionals, especially doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to the Western world, the Federal Government has revealed its deliberate efforts at improving the conditions of service of the nation’s health workers.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who spoke yesterday at the ongoing presentation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s scorecard, also informed that as of January 2, 2023, 63,573,798 of the eligible population target for COVID-19 vaccination had been fully vaccinated, while 12,151,775 of total eligible population were partially vaccinated.

According to the minister, the ability to contain the virus is the hallmark of Buhari’s achievement.

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On remunerations, he noted that while brain drain remains a major problem in the health sector, it is not unique to Nigeria, as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists in other countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), Egypt, Turkey, Ghana, and The Gambia experience same phenomenon.

Ehanire, however, unveiled plans to introduce a performance-based remuneration system, where health workers can be rewarded based on output beyond grade-level salaries.

Besides, he informed of plans to fill the vacuum created in the industry by engaging Nigerian doctors in the Diaspora to share knowledge with their counterparts in Nigerian universities and health facilities, as well as train younger ones to take over from those that have left the shores of the country in search of greener pastures.