Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved the Abia State Health Workers Salary Scale (ASHWOSS), aligning state healthcare workers’ salaries with federal standards effective May 1, 2025. Health Commissioner Prof. Ogbonnaya Uche announced the reform, noting it ensures doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other professionals in state facilities earn equivalent wages to their federal counterparts. The move accompanies plans to recruit 771 new healthcare workers, targeting specialists in high-demand fields like laparoscopic surgery, neurosurgery, and oncology.
The recruitment follows a statewide needs assessment, with approved funding to cover salaries and incentives aimed at retaining critical talent. Governor Otti has directed the Health Ministry to develop additional emoluments for specialists in areas such as interventional radiology, neonatology, and transplant surgery.
This overhaul addresses longstanding challenges, including unpaid salaries, staff shortages, and infrastructural deficits. The administration has allocated 15% of Abia’s 2024 budget to healthcare, prioritizing infrastructure upgrades, timely payments, and professional development to revitalize the sector and improve service delivery.
