Posted on: Mon 22-09-2025

Ebonyi State Government Breaks Silence: “No Auxiliary Nurses in Our Hospitals!” – Health Commissioner

The Ebonyi State government has set the record straight, firmly denying recent reports that auxiliary nurses are being recruited to work in state-owned hospitals. In a decisive statement, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, dismissed the rumors and assured the public that only qualified, certified, and licensed health professionals are employed in Ebonyi’s health facilities.

Dr. Ekuma explained that the Ministry of Health has never considered, nor will it ever consider, deploying auxiliary nurses to any hospital in the state. Instead, the Ministry is currently engaging Community Based Health Workers, including Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) and skilled birth attendants, to support doctors in primary health centers. These professionals are specifically trained to assist with deliveries and manage labor, but they are not auxiliary nurses and are not intended to replace qualified medical staff.

The Commissioner further clarified that junior community health extension workers and assistant community-based health workers are being recruited to serve within their own communities. Their primary responsibility is to act as a vital link between the community and health facilities, ensuring that pregnant women and children receive proper care and immunization. Dr. Ekuma emphasized that these workers are not posted to health centers as substitutes for certified health professionals.

According to Dr. Ekuma, the recruitment process involves selecting ten community health workers for each INEC-recognized political ward. Their duties include identifying pregnant women, ensuring they are registered for antenatal care, and making sure children under five receive all necessary immunizations. These community health workers are also tasked with guiding residents to qualified health facilities for their medical needs.

Reassuring the public, Dr. Ekuma urged Ebonyi residents, especially those with medical concerns, to visit state health facilities with confidence. He reiterated that all health workers in these facilities are fully qualified, certified, and licensed, and that the Ministry remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of healthcare delivery.

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