Lack Of Legislation Behind ‘Japa’ Syndrome – Medical Physicists

The Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP) has attributed the (japa syndrome) emigration of its skilled members seeking better opportunities abroad to a lack of legislation backing the profession.
The President of NAMP, Prof Abdulfatai Akintunde Balogun, made this known during the 2024 International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP) on Thursday in Abuja. The theme was “Inspiring the next generation of Medical Physicists,” a fitting reflection of our ongoing commitment to improving access to high-quality healthcare worldwide.

According to Balogun, the day is a global celebration of the contributions made by medical physicists to the health and well-being of societies worldwide.

He said medical physicists in Nigeria work in various fields, from radiotherapy to medical imaging, radiation protection, and dosimetry.
He said that although notable milestones have been achieved, NAMP faces some challenges.

“Despite progress, the country continues to grapple with issues such as limited access to modern equipment, inadequate funding for research and training, and the need for better integration of medical physics in healthcare policy and decision-making.

“Additionally, we face severe legislative hurdles that continue to hinder our progress. At the national level, the Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP) Bill is currently in the National Assembly and requires urgent attention.

“There are also critical pieces of legislation — the Regulatory Council Bill and the Medical Physics College Bill — passed from one session of the National Assembly to another without resolution. These bills are vital to the professional recognition, welfare, and development of medical physicists in Nigeria.

“Without these legislative frameworks, our Scheme of Service continues to face significant setbacks,” he said.

According to him, the lack of clear and robust legislation has stymied our professional growth, creating uncertainty around career progression and hindering our ability to attract and retain talent.

“This lack of legislative support is also a significant factor in the “Japa” syndrome — the emigration of skilled medical physicists seeking better opportunities abroad,” Balogun said, adding that with the right laws, policies and recognition, NAMP would retain its best minds, reduce brain drain, and ensure our profession thrives within Nigeria.

He said NAMP urgently called on the National Assembly to prioritise their legislation by ensuring that the Regulatory Council and Medical Physics College Bills are passed into law to secure NAMP’s professional future of medical physicists, improve working conditions, and support ongoing education and training.

The Deputy Majority Leader of the 10th Assembly, Sen Oyelola Ashiru, said he sponsored the NAMP bill because of its importance to Nigerians’ healthcare.

Ashiru, represented by his Senior Legislative Aide, Onyinloye Benjamin, said, “When you look at the scale by which you measure the importance of the medical physics bill, it is all about national interest and aligning with global best practices.

“I am disposed towards such things to serve Nigeria,” he said

Also speaking, Dr Taufik Ige, a retired Chief Consultant Medical Physicist at National Hospital, expressed hope that the 10th assembly would pass the bill to revamp cancer treatment in Nigeria.

“The medical physicists are part of the professionals, the teamwork in treating particularly the cancer patients in the country, and unfortunately as we speak, medical physicists are the only professionals in the cancer space in this country today that does not have a regulatory body.

“Which means it is hazardous. However, what we are dealing with here is radiation. This is something you cannot see, you cannot touch, and you cannot feel.

“So we need to put this as part of the international best practices so that eventually these numerous patients that we are talking about will benefit maximally from the use of radiation in this country today.

Clinical scientist and Chair of the NAMP board, Dr Olushola Oshunsami, called on the National Assembly to consider the bills quickly.

“One of the things that stops us from standing in our space as a health profession is giving certificates of certification so that people can work safely and effectively within their fields, whether it’s radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, or diagnostic radiology.

“We need that bill so that we can regulate ourselves properly. So we are saying to the National Assembly, please, not in another year’s time, but in the next month or two, we would really appreciate it if this bill came through for us.