The Akwa Ibom Government has declared two medical doctors wanted for allegedly abdicating duty after being trained for eight years by the state government.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Ekem John, made the announcement at a press conference in Uyo on Tuesday.
John said the medical personnel were Dr Uduakabasi Ita, Consultant Radiologist and Dr Mfonobong Bassey, Consultant Hematologist, both staff of the state Ministry of Health.
He added that both doctors left their duty post for greener pastures without first serving the state to cover the cost of their training by the state government.
“The state government has repeatedly said that any medical personnel it trains is bond to first serve the state to cover the cost of the training before they will be allowed to leave for greener pastures.
“The Ministry of Health has declared them wanted. We will stop their salaries, track them until we find them. Any country they go to, we will go to the Medical and Dental Council of that country and we will stop them.
“It is in their best interest to immediately report to the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health as we will not be held liable once the Medical and Dental Council begins to sit.
“Now that they have not been invited and there is no issue, we ask that their families reach out to them to immediately report to the ministry of health,” he said.
The commissioner further said that with the development, going forward, all medical officers trained by the state government must serve out the agreed number of years in the state before being allowed to resign.
He called on the medical personnel to immediately return to their duty posts in the state civil service, or refund all resources spent on their training by the state government.
The commissioner stressed that government would not allow its best hands to exit service for “greener pastures” without first serving Akwa Ibom people whose resources were deployed for their training.
He commended Governor Umo Eno for declaring a state of emergency in the health sector, adding that Akwa Ibom was positioned for the best health system under the ARISE Agenda of the present administration.
