NARD, ANPMP kick against compulsory service by fresh doctors
Nigerian doctors yesterday called on governments at all levels to create a “greener pasture” for them instead of celebrating United Kingdom’s restriction on their employment and planning legislation against their migration.
They pointed out that the rising number of their colleagues leaving the country could be drastically reduced if the Federal, state and local governments could make “the pasture in the health sector green” like political offices.
Also yesterday, the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) kicked against a bill seeking five-year compulsory domestic service by Nigerian-trained doctors.
The U.K., through its recent Code of Practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel, placed Nigeria and 52 other countries on the red list.
By the policy, active recruitment of health workers from the 53 countries is not permitted in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023.
The doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), said the three tiers of government must note that restriction does not mean a ban as the U.K. could, depending on exigencies, review the policy.
NMA President Uche Ojinmah, in an exclusive chat with The Nation, said in spite of the U.K policy, windows were ajar for Nigerian doctors in the “United States, Canada, Grenada, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa and Germany,”
Ojinmah pointed out that the “poor treatment” Nigerian doctors get in the country was “pushing them away.”
His words: “Let’s stop producing doctors for export in the face of scarcity of doctors in Nigeria. Let’s do the right things for our doctors instead of celebrating the policies of other countries or planning to use legislation to enslave them.
“I don’t actually begrudge the U.K. for recruiting Nigerian doctors because it is the poor treatment they are getting from Nigeria that is pushing them away.
“If the Nigerian government and people place a premium on Nigerian doctors, they obviously won’t migrate.
“It is still okay that the U.K. is placing us on the lower rungs for recruitment, but what about the USA, Canada, Grenada, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa, Germany, etc? Remember that the U.K. can still review the rating depending on their system demands.
“If you block one hole in a sieve, should it call for celebration? Remember that it depends on the exigencies of the health system of the recruiting countries.
“It’s not really an embargo but just that we are a lower priority for recruitment.
“They (U.K.) will still be recruiting from Nigeria. Let’s not get it twisted.
“They probably now have a high number of Nigerian doctors. Once the number drops, they’ll upscale the priority.
“Taking better care of our doctors in Nigeria as it relates to remuneration, security, and equipment of hospitals should be of priority to the governments at all levels.
“They stop stoking unhealthy rivalry in our health sector and reduce brain drain to the barest minimum. This may trigger brain gain.
“The Nigerian government at all levels should stop relying on other countries’ decisions for retaining their doctors.
“Our governments need to fix our system by making the pasture in the health sector green as in their legislature, judiciary and executive arms.
“When this is done, there will be no need for our members to go in search of any pasture.”
-Thenation
