Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has warned newly recruited health workers against maltreating patients or demanding illegal payments before providing medical consultation or emergency care in public health facilities across the state.

Governor Yusuf gave the warning on Wednesday during the official launch and presentation of appointment letters to 2,037 newly recruited health personnel.

The Governor said the recruitment was aimed at addressing acute manpower shortages in hospitals and primary healthcare centres across Kano, a situation worsened by the migration of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals in search of better opportunities.

According to the statement signed by the Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House Kano, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the new recruits include 250 medical doctors, 40 pharmacists, 250 nurses, 250 midwives, 150 Community Health Officers, 50 Junior Community Health Extension Workers and 50 medical laboratory scientists, among other professionals.

Yusuf urged the new health workers to discharge their duties with compassion, integrity, discipline and professionalism.

He directed them to respect the rights and dignity of patients regardless of their social status, religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.

The Governor stressed that no patient should be denied timely medical attention or subjected to unnecessary hardship because of an inability to pay before receiving care.”

No patient should be denied timely medical attention or subjected to unnecessary hardship because of inability to pay before receiving care,” Yusuf said.

He described the appointments as permanent and pensionable, noting that it ends the era of casual engagement in the health sector. He also assured the workers that they would receive their salaries as and when due, while urging them to see their recruitment as a call to service rather than just employment.

He said the recruitment would complement investments already made in healthcare infrastructure, including the renovation of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, upgrading of 12 primary healthcare centres to secondary facilities, and provision of essential medicines and medical equipment.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, described the recruitment as a significant milestone for the state’s health sector and warned the new workers against demanding money from patients for services that should be free.