Natasha seeks better pay, welfare for doctors, nurses

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator for Kogi Central, has advocated for improved conditions, pay, and welfare for healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, and midwives. Speaking at the “Unfinished” event, she stressed that addressing Nigeria’s maternal mortality crisis requires considering the challenges faced by women, children, and healthcare workers in providing care.

Better welfare for medical personnel should be a crucial element in strengthening the healthcare system, according to Akpoti-Uduaghan. She highlighted the need for adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity, safe working environments, and professional development opportunities for healthcare workers, especially those serving rural areas.

The senator called for a holistic approach, emphasizing that healthcare infrastructure is reliant on the human capital that operates and maintains it. Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed concern over the limited access to quality healthcare and emergency services in rural areas, questioning whether healthcare facilities in these communities have the necessary personnel and equipment to manage complicated pregnancies and neonatal emergencies.

She also raised issues about the sustainability of medical equipment like incubators in areas with unreliable electricity. Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed that merely providing equipment is insufficient; healthcare facilities also require qualified personnel to operate the equipment and deliver appropriate care. She urged for the establishment of strong referral systems connecting rural primary healthcare centers with general and specialist hospitals, particularly for women with complicated pregnancies and other emergencies.