The state government noted that this was to reduce the alarming rate of absenteeism and guarantee that health professionals take their responsibilities seriously.
The Anambra State government has said it implemented a policy that would pay health workers in the state on a monthly basis based on the rate of labour and services they provide by putting clock-in devices in public health facilities.
The state government noted that this was to reduce the alarming rate of absenteeism and guarantee that health professionals take their responsibilities seriously.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), The Commissioner for Health, Afam Obidike, stated this in Awka during a meeting with administrators of the state's public hospitals.
The commissioner added that the device would reduce absenteeism and indolence among health personnel.
“The device will also be used to monitor the hours health workers put in each day, and that will subsequently determine their monthly salaries and allowances,” Mr Obidike was quoted saying by NAN.
He stated that the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo takes health care seriously and wants residents to have access to quality services at health institutions.
“This is part of the reasons for the installation of the clock-in device in all government hospitals; it is to ensure that healthcare workers are at their duty posts to attend to the health needs of the people,” he said.
Obidike found that many health staff were absent during unannounced hospital visits, and that several health facilities did not open for services.
According to him, such an attitude has contributed to the state's mortality rates and hampered progress in the health sector.
He continued: “The goal is to eliminate maternal and infant mortality, as well as restore the confidence of our people in the healthcare services we provide in the state.”
According to the commissioner, the government is also digitising healthcare services through telemedicine and enhancing referral networks across the state's hospitals.
“We are establishing the ‘Hub and Spoke’ approach for proper networking among the hospitals. The telemedicine will also allow primary healthcare centres to have access to different doctors,” he said.
Obidike encouraged hospital administrators to conduct weekly clinical and mortality reviews and report the results to the government so that appropriate actions could be taken.