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Bayelsa State Government has upgraded, renovated and equipped 62 primary and secondary healthcare facilities across the state in the last two years, as part of efforts to improve access to medical services, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Seiyefa Brisibe, disclosed this on Wednesday during the 201st session of the State Executive Council at Government House, Yenagoa, where the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) also honoured Governor Douye Diri for his administration’s investments in healthcare infrastructure and personnel welfare.
Brisibe said the facilities comprised 49 primary healthcare centres and 13 secondary healthcare institutions rehabilitated and equipped between 2024 and 2026, adding that the intervention extended beyond Yenagoa to communities where access to healthcare had remained difficult.
He said the government had also invested in ambulance services, medical personnel development and improved welfare packages, while directing that newly constructed or rehabilitated health facilities should provide residential accommodation for workers and at least two sources of electricity.
“I stand here today, Your Excellency, to extol and celebrate your phenomenal development effort in creating access to quality and robust healthcare for all Bayelsans. Between 2024 and today, we have upgraded, renovated and equipped 49 primary healthcare facilities across the state.
“Also within this period, you have upgraded, renovated and equipped 13 secondary care facilities across the state.
The commissioner explained that the administration’s healthcare programme was designed to address infrastructure deficiencies alongside the challenges of retaining medical personnel in underserved communities.
“You have also invested in all of the health sector value chain to improve access by providing ambulance services and also invested in human capital development. You directed that any health facility that we renovate or upgrade or build must have residential quarters for the workers.
“You also directed that the health facility must have a minimum of two sources of power supply. That is, either it is solarised with a generator, or with the national grid,” Brisibe stated.
Presenting a delegation of NAGGMDP led by its president, Dr Annas Idris, the commissioner said the association represented about 20,000 medical and dental practitioners employed by state governments across the country, particularly in secondary healthcare institutions serving rural communities.
Idris, who presented an Award of Exemplary Leadership to Diri, commended the administration for rehabilitating health facilities, improving medical workers’ welfare and deploying drone technology to deliver essential medical supplies to remote communities.
He particularly praised the use of drones to transport blood, vaccines and other critical supplies to communities that would otherwise be difficult to reach promptly.
The association also welcomed the government’s approval of improved welfare packages for medical and dental practitioners, including accomplishment allowances, specialist allowances and a reviewed professional allowances table.
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Idris said the measures would enhance productivity, improve staff retention and help address the migration of medical professionals in search of better working conditions.
He recalled the association’s 2025 medical outreach, conducted through the Nigerian Doctors Foundation in Southern Ijaw, Sagbama, Ogbia and Yenagoa local government areas, during which medical services and assistive devices were provided at the state’s School for Children with Special Needs.
The NAGGMDP president also sought government support for activities marking the 2026 International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, with plans to extend medical outreach to the remaining four local government areas.
Responding, Diri thanked the association for the recognition and dedicated the award to the Commissioner for Health and members of the State Executive Council, whom he commended for implementing the administration’s healthcare programmes.
The governor said his government would sustain investments in healthcare infrastructure, medical education and technology-driven service delivery, noting that Bayelsa was among the states with a specialised medical university.
“You can imagine the level of investment in certain institutions, and I am sure that your colleagues from Bayelsa would have taken you around the Bayelsa Medical University here in Yenagoa, and the other campus in Sampou,” he said.
Diri also highlighted the role of the Zipline drone delivery system in improving access to essential medical supplies in remote communities, saying the technology had significantly reduced delivery times.
“I believe you have seen what we have done, as you rightly mentioned, with Zipline in delivering health services to far-flung communities, which hitherto would have taken us a longer time to reach.
“But through the Zipline drone system, it takes only minutes for the requirements and consignment to be delivered to those communities. As a government, we will continue to prioritise healthcare,” he assured.
Meanwhile, the governor renewed his appeal to politicians and their supporters to conduct issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election, warning against abusive language and inflammatory statements capable of creating divisions in the state.
He urged political actors to exercise restraint, respect opposing views and avoid utterances that could threaten peace and stability, stressing that political differences should not undermine the bonds of unity among Bayelsans.
Diri maintained that regardless of party affiliations and electoral interests, the people of Bayelsa remained brothers and sisters whose collective welfare and development must take precedence over partisan disagreements.
