Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential hopeful, Mr. Peter Obi, has extolled Nigerian health workers, especially the nurses and midwives, who, he said, were critical part of primary health care delivery in the country.
Obi, in a message to commemorate the Nurses Week 2022, stated that the nation remains grateful to the health workers, especially at the primary level, for their sacrifices through the corona virus pandemic till the present moment, and ensuring that the nation enjoys better health.
He reiterated that the health sector, being a very critical contributor of development in any nation, deserves government’s attention and firm support. He stated that aggressive investment in training of health workers should also be prioritized by the government.
“As studies continue to point to the impending scarcity of nurses and midwives globally, to the tune of 10 million, by 2030, I urge the government to invest more in the training of health workers, especially nurses and midwives. By so doing, we can produce many hands to care for our teeming population, and have enough to export to the global world,” Obi noted.
Recalling his days as the Governor of Anambra State, Obi stated that he met a health sector on life support, but with the right vision, investment and commitment, a great milestone of development was achieved in that sector.
“On assumption of Office, we realized that there was no functional school of health in the state. I recalled that as a young student, we were taught that Iyienu Mission Hospital, Ogidi, produced the first midwife in Nigeria. I partnered with the church to revive the school, which was then in comatose.
“My partnership with the church in the health sector also birthed functional schools of nursing at St Joseph’s School of Nursing Sciences, Adazi-Nnukwu; St Charles Borromeo School of Nursing Sciences, Onitsha; Our Lady of Lourdes College of Nursing Sciences, Ihiala among others. I also worked closely with the Bishop of Amichi to establish College of Nursing Sciences, Diocesan Hospital, Amichi. By the time we left office, Anambra had 12 functional schools of health,” Obi narrated.
Obi further encouraged the health workers in the country, especially nurses and midwives, to continue to give their best to societal development stating that nation building is a call that should be obeyed by everyone.