The Akwa Ibom State Government has declared two medical doctors wanted after they allegedly abandoned their duty posts despite receiving full sponsorship for their medical training spanning eight years. The move, announced by the Ministry of Health, is part of the government’s efforts to curb the rising trend of trained professionals leaving state service for opportunities elsewhere after benefiting from public investment.
The doctors, identified as Dr. Uduakabasi Ita, a Consultant Radiologist, and Dr. Mfonobong George Bassey, a Consultant Hematologist, were said to have failed to resume their designated duties within the state’s civil service. Both are staff members of the Ministry of Health who reportedly left their positions without fulfilling their obligations to the state.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, disclosed the development in Uyo on Monday. He explained that the government had invested heavily in the advanced training of the affected doctors with the expectation that they would, in turn, contribute their expertise to strengthen healthcare delivery across Akwa Ibom. According to him, their sudden disappearance represents a breach of trust and a significant loss of resources meant to serve the people.
Dr. John outlined two options available to the doctors: they must either return to their posts and resume official duties immediately or refund the total cost of training and sponsorship expended by the government over the years. He emphasized that failure to comply would leave the government with no option but to pursue legal action to recover the funds.
The Commissioner lamented the increasing rate at which professionals, particularly in the health sector, abandon state service after receiving government-funded training abroad and locally. He stressed that such practices were detrimental to the healthcare system and undermined the state’s mission to build a strong, sustainable medical workforce capable of meeting the health needs of citizens.
In response to the situation, Dr. John announced that the government would henceforth enforce stricter service agreements for all medical officers whose training is funded by the state. These agreements will compel beneficiaries to serve out a stipulated number of years within Akwa Ibom before resigning or pursuing opportunities elsewhere. He maintained that this policy was necessary to protect public investment and ensure the availability of highly skilled professionals in state-owned hospitals.
“We cannot continue to allow government’s resources to go to waste,” the Commissioner declared. “The people of Akwa Ibom invested in their training, and they must first serve the state before considering greener pastures.”
He further reassured residents that the government remains committed to strengthening the healthcare sector through infrastructure development, human capital investment, and policies designed to ensure sustainability. However, he noted that the commitment would only yield results if trained medical officers fulfilled their responsibilities to the state.
The government’s stern position has drawn attention across the state, with stakeholders in the health sector describing it as a necessary step to curb the growing brain drain affecting public hospitals. The declaration of the doctors as wanted marks one of the boldest moves yet by the Akwa Ibom State Government in enforcing accountability among state-trained professionals.
