The Anambra State Ministry of Health has stepped up routine monitoring and supervisory visits to government-owned hospitals across the state to ensure healthcare workers adhere to official duty schedules and maintain high standards of service delivery.
The exercise, led by the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu, forms part of the healthcare reform agenda of Chukwuma Soludo aimed at strengthening accountability, professionalism, and efficiency within the state’s health sector.
During an inspection at General Hospital, Umueri, the monitoring team found that several staff members were absent from duty at about 10:00 a.m., while others failed to wear their official identity cards. Offices belonging to key officers were also discovered to be locked throughout the inspection.
The team further observed that some workers had alerted colleagues by telephone about the ongoing inspection. Staff who arrived after the monitoring exercise had begun attempted to sign the attendance register but were prevented from doing so in accordance with established administrative procedures.
While at the hospital, Dr. Chukwulobelu addressed pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic, encouraging them to take advantage of the state’s Free Antenatal Care and Free Delivery Programme. He explained that the initiative covers free antenatal care, normal delivery, and caesarean section services at approved government health facilities, emphasizing that Governor Soludo introduced the programme to ensure that no woman loses her life during childbirth due to financial hardship.
The monitoring team also visited General Hospital, Nawgu, where healthcare workers, including members of the National Youth Service Corps, were found at their duty posts carrying out their responsibilities, although no patients had visited the hospital at the time of inspection.
Speaking after the exercise, Dr. Chukwulobelu said the routine monitoring is aimed at ensuring healthcare workers remain committed to their responsibilities while guaranteeing quality healthcare services for residents across the state. He warned that absenteeism, lateness, abandonment of duty posts, and failure to wear official identity cards constitute violations of the Public Service Rules and would attract appropriate administrative sanctions.
He noted that the Soludo administration has made substantial investments in the health sector and urged healthcare workers to reciprocate through professionalism, punctuality, dedication, and quality service delivery.
Dr. Chukwulobelu also stated that the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, maintains a zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline and absenteeism, while the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. (Pharm.) Obiageli Uchebo, continues to encourage health workers to uphold integrity, accountability, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining routine monitoring and supportive supervision across public health facilities as part of efforts to improve healthcare service delivery and advance the Soludo administration’s healthcare transformation agenda.
