By Doris Obinna
Dr. Abdulrahman Usman, chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Contemporary National Issues Committee, has faulted the recently proposed House of Representatives Bill on mandatory five-year practice for Nigerian-trained doctors, describing it as ill-conceived and would worsen the country’s brain drain.
Usman while taking a swipe at the Bill, chided the Federal Government, it is not taking the issue of medical doctors’ migration seriously but rather introducing anti-friendly bills to further worsen the resolve of doctors to leave.
In a statement issued by the group of committee, headed by Usman, stated that Nigeria’s House of Representatives recently proposed a Bill to recently proposed House of Representative’s bill on mandatory five-year practice for Nigerian-trained doctors. The Bill, it is disclosed is being sponsored by Hon. Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson.
The NMA official, who spoke on the statement, titled, ‘The Brian Drain Pandemic,’ decried the Bill and described it as obnoxious.
“Brain drain, ‘Jappa syndrome,’ among Nigerian-trained doctors is not a new phenomenon. However, in recent years, it has taken a new dimension with all categories of doctors leaving the country.
“In the past, leaving was mostly among younger doctors but in recent times, it is not uncommon to see Professors and senior consultants who have practiced for over 20 years migrating for greener pastures. The NMA has been at the forefront of trying to get the attention of the Nigerian government and well-meaning citizens to the deleterious effects presently and in the near future of doctors exiting the country.
“There are several publications on the numbers leaving and reasons for the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors. A few of the documented pull factors include better remunerations, furthering education, improvement in knowledge and skills, better health facilities, security, and better working conditions.
“Unfortunately, the Nigerian government appears to be taking this serious issue with kid’s gloves and even coming up with anti-friendly bills to further worsen the resolve of doctors to leave.
“The recent obnoxious Bill proposed by Senator Ganiu Abiodun Johnson, House of Representative member representing Oshodi Isolo II, Lagos State has passed second reading at the National Assembly, seeking to amend the Medical Doctors and Dental Practitioners Act to bond Nigerian-trained medical students for five years after graduating is a major provocation,” Usman added.
“It makes one wonder what exactly the senator hopes to achieve with this bill. Is this to reduce the number of students who choose to study medicine in government-owned schools and ensure the death of these government-owned medical schools surely, one cannot put a bond on students who were trained with exorbitant fees by their parents in private universities.
“Does the bill hope to increase the number of foreign-trained Nigerian medical students trained with foreign currency which would have been better spent at home to build our economy?
“Or is it to ensure that our medical students who graduate are forced to practice clinical medicine for five years to serve out their bonds?” the NMA chair queried.
“If that is the case, then, they have no right to pursue further
education like a Master’s Degree, or work with non-governmental organisations because that is where their passion lies, or go into full-time research work or even totally change careers.
“The Senator obviously assumes that all medical school graduates want to practice medicine. Do note that the bill is for only Nigerian-trained students.
“Therefore, children of the elite, like those of Senators, Governors, and House of Representative members who have trained abroad, some on Nigerian-funded scholarships will not be included in this bond, just the children of the masses who cannot afford to train abroad.
“The narrow focus on medical students and doctors shows that the proponents of this bill did not think it through or consult
extensively with stakeholders. Nigerian-trained doctors were not the only students trained with the so-called ‘subsidy’ or taxpayers’ money’. Nigerian-trained doctors do not make up the health sector alone,” he stated.
