The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association in Zamfara state, Mannir Bature, has decried the unavailability of medical doctors in the state.
This is even as he said health facilities in the state have been experiencing structural decay.
Mr Bature spoke during a stakeholders meeting in Gusau on Thursday.
He said: “The level of decay is disheartening. Only the General Hospital in Gusau has the facilities required of a decent health facility. In the remaining 13 local government areas, General Hospitals don’t even have facilities for neonatal care.
He lamented the level of abandonment of hospitals and other health centres in the state by government.
While criticising the lack of man power, Mr Bature said one medical doctor takes care of 50,000 patients in the state which he said is against the provision of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“The level of human resources crisis when it comes to medical doctors in the state has reached an alarming stage and because of that one doctor looks after 50,000 patients.
“The WHO standard says a doctor should takes care of 1,000 patients while 700 patients should be for one trained nurse.
“But it’s not the case here. We’ve a total of 350 Medical Doctors and 1,300 Nurses in the state in both State and Federal health facilities taking care of over five million people.”
While calling on the State government to recruit at least 3,000 more medical doctors, Mr Bature called on his colleagues to avoid rejecting transfers to local government areas.
“78% of the human resources in the health sector is concentrated in Gusau, living just 22% to be shared amongst the remaining 13 local government areas,” he lamented.
