The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the release of over N300 million as a grant to 389 medical doctors in the State Civil Service who are undergoing residency training.
The funds will cover the Residency Training Grant requirements for two consecutive years, 2023-2024, with payments ranging from N800,000 to N900,000 per resident doctor for each year.
A total of 215 resident doctors received funding for 2023, while 174 resident doctors have so far received the training grant for 2024 in the state.
With this milestone, Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration has set a new record in healthcare funding, as the residency training grant has only been paid twice in the past 16 years, with the last payment made in 2018.
By this strategic action, Governor Fubara has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the training initiative, aimed at supporting the professional development of doctors at both the Junior and Senior residency levels, is not hindered by the lack of requisite grants that serve as vital incentives for healthcare personnel.
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This move also demonstrates that Governor Fubara views comprehensive support for residency training as a strategic investment in improving the capacity of healthcare personnel, which will ultimately enhance the quality of healthcare services available to the people of Rivers State.
Governor Fubara expressed confidence that with such support from his administration, the benefiting medical doctors will diligently pursue their residency training, which is a crucial stage of graduate medical education, to acquire the competence needed to provide the best service while working for the state government.
Reacting to this groundbreaking achievement, the Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, acknowledged the importance of the course updates and components to the capacity of personnel in addressing challenges in quality healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr. Oreh said, “These are essential for doctors to stay current with the latest medical knowledge and practices, ensuring they can provide the best possible care to patients.
“Research is a critical component of medical training, and these funds help cover the costs associated with developing and presenting research proposals and dissertations.
“Also, traveling to examination centers can be costly, especially for doctors stationed in various parts of the state. For examinations usually held outside the state, and in some cases, outside the country, this funding ensures that transportation costs do not hinder their ability to attend necessary examinations,” she added.
Dr. Oreh further addressed the burden examination fees pose on medical personnel, stating, “The examination fees for the Parts I and II residency exams are very expensive, and by covering these fees, the government ensures that financial constraints do not prevent doctors from advancing in their careers.”
She thanked the Governor for prioritizing the welfare needs of personnel in the health sector, explaining that the Governor’s proactive action and political will to address critical issues impeding human capacity development are worthy of emulation.
The Commissioner emphasized that Governor Fubara’s gesture, barely one year into office, will ultimately yield better health outcomes for the people of Rivers State and Nigerians at large.
