Gombe State Government has deferred the retirement of over 100 nurses and midwives who were due to leave its employ this year, as a shortage of manpower continues to tell on healthcare delivery in the state.

The state’s Head of Civil Service, Daniel Mohammed, announced the measure on Monday during a ceremony to mark the Workers Day.

The North-East state with a population of over 3 million, has only 1,159 nurses and midwives in its public health institutions.

According to Mr. Mohammed, the state government is yet to find replacement for the over 100 nurses and midwives due to retire from service this year.

“We would have been in serious crisis but for the waiver the state governor approved to the over 100 nurses and midwives in the State service,” he said on Monday in Gombe, the state capital.

“This has also prompted the State Government to put in motion machinery for recruitment of this category of workers,” he said.

According to Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2013, the North-east zone has a mortality-live birth ratio of 1,549 /100,000, with the same survey in 2008 putting the ratio for Gombe State at 800/100,000.

PT