Gov Fubara approves N300m for Medical Residency Training

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has approved the allocation of over N300 million as a grant to support 389 medical doctors in the State Civil Service undergoing residency training.

This funding will cover two consecutive years, 2023-2024, with individual payments ranging between 800,000 and 900,000 naira per resident doctor annually.

For 2023, a total of 215 resident doctors received the grant while 174 have been funded in 2024, the government said.

This initiative marks a significant advancement in healthcare funding under Governor Fubara’s administration, as residency training grants have only been disbursed twice in the past 16 years, with the most recent distribution occurring in 2018.

In a statement on Friday from the Rivers State Government House Press Unit, Governor Fubara emphasized that this support aims to “enhance the dedication and effectiveness of resident doctors during their critical training phase, which is essential for acquiring the skills necessary for delivering high-quality medical services while employed by the state.”

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State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, lauded the initiative, noting the crucial role of updated training in enhancing the capability of healthcare personnel to tackle challenges and improve the quality of 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, travelling to examination centres can be costly, especially for doctors stationed in various parts of the State.

“For these examinations which are 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.

The commissioner emphasized that the gesture of Governor Fubara, barely one year in office, will ultimately yield better health outcomes for Rivers people in particular and Nigerians at large.