Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has appointed Delta-born Clinical/Public Health Ophthalmologist and Health System Manager, Dr Gloria Patrick-Ferife as a Permanent Secretary.
Dr Gloria Patrick-Ferife who hails from the Koko headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area is among Governor Okowa’s seven newly approved Permanent Secretaries for the Delta State Civil Service and the Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) according to a statement on Monday by the Delta State Director of Public Communication, Mrs Theresa Adiabua Oliko.
According to the statement, the seven Permanent Secretaries will be sworn in by Governor Okowa today Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba at 1:00 pm.
The names of the six other Permanent Secretaries are Ohwofasa Felicia C. (Mrs.), Udi Victor, Chukwuka Wilson, Emeni Winifred Ngozi (Mrs.), Emore Whisky Erhurhoro and Dr. (Mrs.) Ejedimu Awoke.
Dr Gloria Patrick-Ferife, MBBS, FNMCOphth, MSc, a 1991 graduate of the University of Benin, Benin-city has experience in the following areas: clinical practice, medical services, and rural health care program management, eye care programs, training in hard-to-reach areas in the Niger Delta region, health care financing and project/program monitoring.
She is a fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College and through a grant from the Christoffel Blinden Mission bagged a Master of Science degree in Public Health for Eye Care from the Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan.
Her career interest is in designing and implementing health policies and strategies, health system management, health care financing, and medical waste management.
She is also interested in the implementation of primary health care including eye care, environmental, eye health, child health and maternal health care policies, and the mainstreaming of eye health.
She is currently the Director/State Coordinator of the South–South Zonal Outstation, Nigeria Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Asaba, Delta State, and runs a part-time ophthalmic practice.
The ever-cheerful and smiling woman is a co–founder, and project director of a non-governmental organization known as ‘Eye Care Health Initiative’ which focuses on bringing eye health to the doorsteps of the community.
Until January 2023, she was a member of the Board of AVON HMO, where she served for 10 years.
Dr Ferife was employed in the civil service in July 2000 and was promoted to level 17 in July 2011.
A devout Christian of the catholic faith and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary, knights of St. John International, Dr Ferife is married with three children.
