NATASHA CALLS FOR BETTER WELFARE FOR HEALTH WORKERS

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Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called for improved pay, working conditions and welfare packages for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals in Nigeria.

The Kogi Central senator made the call on Monday during an event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission, where she spoke on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive choices.

Akpoti-Uduaghan said better conditions for healthcare workers were necessary to retain skilled professionals, particularly those serving rural and underserved communities.

She said healthcare facilities could not function effectively without adequate personnel, stressing the need for functional equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity and opportunities for professional development.

The senator also linked the welfare of health workers to efforts to reduce maternal mortality, particularly in communities where access to emergency and specialised healthcare remains limited.

She called for stronger referral systems connecting rural primary healthcare centres with general and specialist hospitals to ensure women with complicated pregnancies receive timely care.

Akpoti-Uduaghan further advocated improved access to laboratories, blood supplies, neonatal facilities, emergency transportation, electricity and water.

She said providing medical equipment alone would not address healthcare challenges unless there were qualified professionals available to operate and maintain the equipment.

The senator urged policymakers to adopt a broader approach to healthcare that treats infrastructure, medical personnel, equipment and welfare as interconnected parts of an effective health system.