Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has approved a new salary structure for health workers in the state, aligning it with federal standards. The new scale, known as the Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS), will take effect from May 1, 2025.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, who explained that the new scale matches the existing federal salary structures: CONMESS for doctors and CONHESS for nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and other health professionals.
In addition to the salary increase, Governor Otti also approved the recruitment of 771 new health workers. These include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, radiographers, physiotherapists, and other specialists. The recruitment follows a state-wide needs assessment across health facilities.
Professor Uche confirmed that the Governor has also approved funding for the salaries of the new recruits.
In a further move to strengthen the health sector, the Governor has directed the Ministry of Health to negotiate special incentive packages to attract highly skilled specialists in critical fields. These include areas such as anesthesia, intensive care, transplant and robotic surgery, neurosurgery, neonatal care, oncology, orthopedics, and plastic surgery.
This initiative marks a significant step in Governor Otti’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery in the state and enhance the welfare of medical professionals.