Sokoto State Government has announced a mandatory two-year rural service scheme for all medical professionals trained by the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, who announced this in a statement said the move targets doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health workers, mandating them to serve in rural health facilities upon graduation.
He said the move is a strategic effort to bridge the health workers’ gap in underserved communities, stressing that it follows a needs assessment that highlighted the imbalance in health personnel distribution across the state.
“Too many of our professionals are concentrated in urban centres, while rural areas suffer from a dire lack of qualified personnel.
The commissioner emphasised that the rural postings would not come without incentives, stating that each health worker deployed under the scheme will receive a 10 per cent salary bonus, access to upgraded health infrastructure, and enhanced security measures.
He added the policy is part of a broader health sector reform agenda under Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s administration, aimed at revamping the state’s ailing healthcare system.
Abubakar explained that since the implementation of the new salary structure, several medical workers who had previously submitted resignation letters have withdrawn them, opting to remain in service due to improved welfare conditions.
These reforms are not just fixing today’s problems; they are laying a sustainable foundation for a healthier, more equitable future for Sokoto State,” Abubakar said.