Healthcare Worker Shortage: Sokoto Introduces Mandatory Rural Service for Medical Professionals

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Sokoto State Government has launched a mandatory two-year rural service program for all medical professionals sponsored by the state.

This initiative aims to tackle the severe shortage of healthcare workers in rural areas and ensure equitable healthcare delivery across the state.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, is spearheading the program, which requires doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health workers trained by the state government to serve in rural health facilities for a minimum of two years.

The decision follows a comprehensive needs assessment that revealed a significant imbalance in healthcare staffing, with a concentration of professionals in urban areas and a severe shortage in rural communities.

According to Dr. Abubakar, the state government is not only posting healthcare workers to rural areas but also providing incentives to motivate them. These incentives include better pay, improved facilities, and security support.

“We are confident many healthcare professionals will choose to stay in rural areas even after their mandatory service ends, due to the good working environment and incentives,” Dr. Abubakar said.

The state government has approved a 10% salary bonus for rural service, aiming to encourage compliance and boost morale.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by the administration of Governor Ahmad Aliyu to revamp Sokoto’s healthcare system.

Notably, the state government now pays medical and health workers a remuneration package that matches the federal government’s salary scale.

This development has been praised by organized labour and medical professionals nationwide.

Dr. Abubakar credited the governor’s visionary leadership and swift approval of the health ministry’s proposal for this achievement. “We made a compelling case to His Excellency that for the sector to retain its professionals, we must offer a competitive package—and he signed off.”

As a result, the state has witnessed a reversal in the brain drain that once plagued its healthcare system.

Many professionals who had earlier submitted resignation letters have since withdrawn them, thanks to the improved welfare provisions.

The commissioner emphasized the critical role of teamwork in the sector’s recent gains. “Healthcare is not a one-man show. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical scientists, cleaners—all play critical roles.”

Professional associations such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have applauded the administration’s commitment to staff welfare and expressed renewed confidence in its leadership.

“These reforms are laying the foundation for a stronger, more responsive health system in Sokoto State,” Dr. Abubakar affirmed.