The Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, in partnership with the State Ministry of Health and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, has begun recruiting new Community-Based Health Workers to bring healthcare closer to people living in villages and rural areas. The recruitment interviews took place at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex in Awka, where many applicants turned up to participate.
Nigeria’s healthcare system has long faced a shortage of doctors, nurses, and trained health workers, especially in rural areas. Many primary healthcare centres, which are often the first point of contact for sick people, do not have enough staff. Because of this, communities have continued to suffer from high maternal deaths, preventable illnesses, and a general lack of interest in seeking medical help since many people feel health facilities cannot provide the care they need.
This new recruitment is aimed at solving these problems by providing enough trained workers who can serve directly in the communities. The Executive Secretary of the agency, Chisom Uchem, explained that the new health workers will have an important role to play. She said their duties go beyond working in hospitals, as they are expected to serve at the grassroots level by helping families access proper medical care. She also stressed that the workers must be honest, compassionate, and responsible, because negligence could cost lives. Uchem warned that anyone caught presenting fake certificates during the recruitment would face the full weight of the law.
The Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Uchebo Obiageli, further explained that the workers will help take care of the sick, guide people to the nearest health centres, and support pregnant women to ensure safe deliveries. According to her, the programme was designed to reduce deaths from childbirth complications, stillbirths, and other preventable causes.
To make sure all areas benefit, at least ten health workers will be deployed to each ward across the state. This will help address the shortage of staff in primary healthcare centres and strengthen the connection between households and hospitals, ensuring that basic and affordable healthcare services reach everyone.
Officials and Stakeholders Present
- Several top officials and health leaders attended the recruitment exercise. Among them were:
- Dr. Ngozi Okeke– Head of the Community Health Department, ASPHCDA,
- Mrs. Cecilia Peter-Okoye– Head of Administration, ASPHCDA,
- Mrs. Amaka Maduka– Head of Accounts, ASPHCDA,
- Mr. Casmir Mabia– Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, ASPHCDA,
- Mrs. Chinyere Edeh– Chairperson, Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (Anambra chapter),
- Directors of Primary Health Care from Idemili North and Oyi LGAs –Mrs. Chinwe Okeke and Mrs. Ebele Ezelote,
- Representatives from the Community Health Practitioners Council, andseveral others.
This recruitment shows the commitment of the Anambra State Government to improving primary healthcare. By placing trained workers in every ward, the state hopes to reduce deaths, improve maternal health, and make sure even the most remote communities have access to life-saving healthcare services.
