The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it is prioritising the welfare and expansion of its health workforce alongside plans to build new hospitals across Abuja.
Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, made this known on Wednesday during a capacity development training for health managers in the territory.
“We can’t build new hospitals when there is no adequate human resource,” she said. “You will soon start to see new hospitals in the FCT, but strengthening our workforce remains a priority.”
According to Dr Fasawe, more than six to seven world-standard hospitals have already been established in Abuja, with additional facilities in the pipeline to close healthcare access gaps.
She said the health workforce had grown substantially under the current administration. “We have been able to increase our health workforce by over a thousand,” she stated, adding that salaries of some health workers had doubled.
“For the first time, FCT doctors were paid uniform allowance,” Dr Fasawe noted, stressing that budgetary allocation for human resources had been prioritised.
Despite acknowledging the fiscal challenges facing Nigeria, she expressed confidence in ongoing reforms. “The country is gripping with so many demands across all sectors but limited resources to address the needs, particularly the health sector needs,” she said.
Dr Fasawe also commended doctors working in the FCT for their dedication. “Since the Wike-led FCTA came on board, we witnessed only one warning strike and within three days the minister was able to resolve the issues,” she said.
She added that despite primary healthcare centres under area councils being affected by a general strike lasting over three months, essential services continued uninterrupted.
