Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi has charged newly inaugurated hospitals management board on the need to enforce discipline amongst erring personnel especially absentee medical doctors in the  rural areas.

Speaking through the Secretary to the State Government, Mr George Feyii last Wednesday at the inauguration of the 11-member Hospitals Management Board in Port Harcourt, Amaechi posited that discipline was key to the state free medical scheme.

Said Amaechi, “a number of primary health centres have had the complaints of doctors being absent from duty and these are issues that should engage your mind first.”

He asserted that health remains the key vision of his administration, hence, government is bent on rising the health status of the citizenry through the building of more primary health centres across the state.

Amaechi revealed that this year, the government will push further with the view of addressing secondary healthcare making many of its hospitals reference centres.

The governor, therefore, charged the new hospitals management board to make evaluation and advise government on the strategies and measures that will enable the achievement of the health policy of government in respect of free healthcare.

“We expect that you are the full experiences of your team, and advise government in this areas because there are things that we need to do in order to make sure that the policy of government in respect of free health care gets to the people, to know how they tap the benefits.

We believe that your efforts will complement the efforts of government directly as you come on board, deploy fully all that you have, including skills, experiences and knowledge, to ensure a better health system”, Amaechi said.

On his part, chairman of the hospital management board, Dr Omboye Pax-Harry said despite the non-existence of the board for years, the present cream of professionals had done their best to achieve the vision of the administration.

Dr Pax-Harry promised that the new board will enforce discipline amongst medical personnel and check absenteeism by doctors in the rural areas.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the inauguration, chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon Irene Inimgba, expressed hope that the board will fill the vacuum that has affected the health sector over the years in the state.

Other members of the board include Dr Godwin Mpi, Professor Aaron Ojule, Dr O. N. Inigunima, Dr Ibitorkoemi Kurubo and Dr Michael Osika.

Others are Pharmacist Elizabeth Odili, Monsi Igilar, Dame Ada Ben-Whyte, Chief Friday Nke-ee and Mrs Geraldine Oduyemi.