The issue of medical brain drain once again returned to our national discourse following the House of Representatives effort on a bill to prevent medical doctors from moving abroad unless they first practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five years.
The proposed legislation titled, “Bill for an Act to Amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap. M379, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to mandate any Nigeria trained Medical or Dental Practitioner to Practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five years before being granted a full licence by the council in order to make quality health services available to Nigeria,” was sponsored by Hon Ganiyu Johnson.
In his lead debate, Johnson said the proposed legislation seeks to cure the exodus of brain drain and build the manpower in medical sector.
He opined that Nigeria-trained medical or dental practitioners must work in the country for a minimum of five years before they are granted full licences.
Opposing the bill however, Hon Nkem Abonta, described it as offensive, saying: “What this bill is asking is offensive. The bill is asking that any Nigerian trained medical doctor must do mandatory practice for five years before he can be given licence after qualification.”
Reacting, Johnson argued that it was fair for medical practitioners who had benefited from taxpayers’ subsidies to undergo mandatory service for a minimum number of years in Nigeria before taking their skills abroad.
Responding to the proposal, the president of the NMA, Uche Ojinma said, “These guys will not stop making me laugh. I heard about it today. For all we know, that is a knee-jerk response. Let me make it clear. The solution to a problem is finding out the origin of the problem. You find the cause of the problem, and you sort it out. Under international labour law, you do not restrict a worker from migration as long as he did not commit a crime or he is running away, owing you.
“Why can’t the members of the National Assembly serve us (Nigerians) five years for free before we start paying them?”
He challenged the lawmakers to compare what they earn in salary and allowances with what other categories of workers in Nigeria, including doctors, earn. He said nobody would force doctors to remain in Nigeria.
If we are to tell ourselves the truth, the reasons for medical brain drain are in plain sight!
The poor remuneration of the medical personnel in Nigeria compared to their counterparts around the world accounts for the brain drain. The poor work environment where trained doctors often work and carry out surgical operations without light is depressing. The fact that oxygen is often a rarity in public hospitals. The fact that much of the money for health is consumed within the ministries without anything to show for it are all indications why the doctors literarily want to flee.
The National Assembly ought to pass a bill that doctors be paid salary as essential staff, and that they must be given every incentive to encourage them to stay home!
The National Assembly should package a bill to ensure doctors are given houses. They should through budgetting ensure the comprehensive equipment of ALL hospitals to at least Indian standard.
There is no doubt that poor remuneration, insecurity and lack of job satisfaction are some of the reasons why doctors leave Nigeria. There have been instances of rural doctors being kidnapped without a whimper being heard from the authorities!
The National Assembly should fix the challenges so that doctors can stay in the country.
Another reason for brain drain is the misguided and unpatriotic utterances of some government officials especially the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, who not long ago advised doctors to relocate abroad in search of greener pastures! He told the whole world that Nigeria has enough medical personnel. This was his shameful response to doctor’s demand for better pay and improved hospitals!
Ngige spewed this on Channels Television. As minister, he was responding to a question on brain drain and the deliberate recruitment of Nigerian doctors by foreign embassies in Nigeria to the detriment of the nation’s health sector.
In his view, Ngige, who is also a medical doctor, said there was nothing wrong with doctors leaving the country as they would continue to send foreign exchange home which could, in turn, grow the economy.
He said and I quote, “No, I am not worried (about doctors leaving the country). We have surplus. If you have surplus, you export. It happened some years ago here. I was taught chemistry and biology by Indian teachers in my secondary school days.
“There are surplus in their country and we also have surplus in the medical profession in our country. I can tell you this. In my area, we have excess.
“Who said we don’t have enough doctors? We have more than enough. You can quote me. There is nothing wrong in them travelling out. When they go abroad, they earn money and send them back home here. Yes, we have foreign exchange earnings from them and not just oil.”
In a normal country, Ngige should have been relieved of his job for making such callous and unpatriotic statements on public TV. I mean, how can a man who serves the nation as labour minister, whose job description includes good labour relations, how could he make such incendiary statements and be allowed to go scot-free? He ought to have been reprimanded, but he was not.
For the House of Reps to now come up with such a draconian and unimplementable bill is the height of ignorant arrogance! Apart from its unconstitutionality, it negates the UN Charter on Human Rights to which Nigeria is a signatory! The NASS ought to have cautioned Ngige when he was talking down on doctors. In any case, the bill when passed will be of no effect as it will be speedily shot down by the judiciary if challenged by the doctors!
MAY NIGERIA REBOUND
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