Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has approved the recruitment of over 700 medical and non-medical personnel to strengthen healthcare delivery in Delta State.

The State Commissioner for Health, Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed this during a press conference in Asaba, describing the move as a strategic response to rising demand for healthcare services and ongoing upgrades in medical infrastructure.

He explained that the recruitment is tied to recent developments in the sector, including the upgrade of General Hospital Warri to a central hospital and the near completion of the Mother and Child Hospital in Ekpan, both of which require additional manpower to operate effectively.

Onojaeme stated that a significant number of the recruits would be deployed across key health institutions, including the Hospital Management Board and the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, among others, to ensure improved service delivery across the state.

He noted that the recruitment also aims to address workforce shortages caused by the migration of healthcare professionals, widely known as the “Japa syndrome,” adding that the government has adopted a policy of promptly replacing exiting personnel to maintain continuity in services.

The commissioner further highlighted other interventions in the health sector, including the near completion of a State Public Health Laboratory, the construction of a new psychiatric hospital, and the procurement of modern MRI machines to improve diagnostic capacity.

He added that investments in dialysis services are already yielding results, with treatment costs dropping to about ₦45,000 in some facilities, while more reductions are expected as additional measures are implemented.

Onojaeme assured that the recruitment process would be transparent and merit-based, with vacancies to be advertised publicly, adding that the exercise would cover a wide range of roles such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, administrators, and other support staff.