…The plan is unsustainable and spells doom for the Nigerian health sector – Dr. Francis Faduyile, President, NMA

…The plan is unsustainable and spells doom for Nigerian health sector —Dr. Francis Faduyile, President, NMA

 …It’s unfortunate and ill-advised —Dr. Saliu Oseni, Chairman Lagos NMA

…An absurd paradox —Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, National, PRO, ALMSN

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has come under fire over purported plans by the Federal Ministry of Health to employ the services of medical doctors from Europe and the United States of America.

Stakeholders in the health industry have roundly condemned the disclosure made by the Minister during the Budget 2020 defence session before the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.

Reacting to the statement credited to the Minister, the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyili described it as an ill-thought-out plan that will not do the country’s health sector any good.

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According to him, “I am not sure if that is the intention of what the Minister wants to say because I am aware that the NMA  with some of the doctors outside the country are working on the possibility of getting back skills of some of our members outside the country.

“These doctors will be in the country for a short period to do like medical missions and they will do skill repatriation to doctors in Nigeria.

“However, I have also been informed that that minister was talking about some retired doctors to work for like six months or three so that they can teach the culture of service and professionalism.   And if that is the case, I don’t think it is a step in the right direction.”

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Faduyile said the Nigerian government has not provided enough to make those who are working to work effectively.

“The people who are coming will certainly work with equipment and things on the ground.  If the minister is saying that we have enough equipment on ground, I am challenging the Minister to tell us how many hospitals of the federal tertiary institutions have running pipe-borne water, let him tell us how many that have standardised equipment that is working effectively.

“ If you bring people that are highly specialised to work and things are not in place it is most unlikely that they will not be able to work effectively.   What is expected is the minister to work with his cabinet to have improved funding to health.

“In the 2020 budget, it is really unfortunate that we don’t have any improvement in the budget for health.   This plan spells doom for the health sector in the country.

“If he is thinking that way, first of all, he should first make sure that everything is in place and let see how well Nigerian doctors will work appropriately with the best equipment and environment.

“Unfortunately, also we have so many of our people who are capable but are not gainfully employed. And that is why you see a lot of doctors leaving the country, and going to practice their trade outside the country.

“Until the minister can confirm that he cannot get the best from Nigerian trained specialists which is the contrary because we all know that outside this country Nigerian doctors are doing very well.   And they are one of the best worldwide.  I think that is an ill-thought-out plan which will not do the health sector of this country any good.

“Most importantly, to improve the health of Nigerians, the minister needs to see how the primary healthcare centre of the country is effective.  This is because that is where over 70 per cent of Nigerians access health care. The secondary health facilities are generally in shambles and these are the areas we want the minister and the ministry and everybody to look into the primary and the secondary.

“That is where the minister should intensify efforts, not this jamboree he is talking about specialists outside the country. It will not do the system any good because it is not sustainable and it cannot be maintained and where will the patients even have the funding to access those facilities when the National health insurance is not in place?

“So we have a variant of problems   I think the minister should look into these areas rather than bringing in jack and Jill approach of specialists from abroad to come and drain Nigerians,”  Faduyule remarked.

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