Nigerian medical practitioners based in the United States of America under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas on Tuesday said they were determined to relocate to the country if the Federal Government could provide incentives for them.
The doctors, led by their National President, Nkem Chukwumerije, stated this in Abuja when their executive officers paid a courtesy call on the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, at the National Assembly complex.
The ANPA members said they were interested in returning home to help their fatherland but lamented the government had not done enough to encourage them.
Chukwumerije listed poor remuneration, inadequate modern equipment and a lack of low interest loans for those who want to set up medical facilities in Nigeria as some of the impediments to their homecoming.
He said, “The major barrier preventing the relocation of medical doctors back to Nigeria is incentive. Every human character and behaviour is linked to incentives. Some of the incentives to get back the medical doctors abroad to Nigeria are not in place.
“Most of us here love our country and our hearts are in Nigeria but we just have to be physically at another country. We are very passionate about improving health care system here but the incentives, especially remuneration sends people out and force them to remain abroad.
“Another thing is a lack of proper equipment to work with. Most people abroad honestly want to come back. But to physically relocate, we will need the right financial incentives.
“The Federal Government should provide low interest loans for health care workers so that medical practitioners abroad could bring their money and have access to low interest loans.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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You guyz need to take stock of qualified medical doctors who are yet to get job here in Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteBros Nkem chilax in the USA.
ReplyDeleteBull shit, we have better Doctors in Naija. D annoying about d profession in Nigeria is all about money, incentives without passion.
ReplyDeleteThese people talk of better remuneration. Apparently, they assume that coming back home means working for the government in government hospitals. What stops them from setting up world-class private practice? There are many private hospitals in Nigeria that are doing well. Some of them even employ expatriate doctors and pay them appropriately.
ReplyDeleteFOR THOSE WHO WANT TO RETURN HOME TO PRACTICE PRIVATELY, I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR THEM BECAUSE OF THE HIGH INTEREST RATES ADVANCED BY THE BANKS! THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE PROVISION FOR SOFT LOANS FOR THE GENUINE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SPECIAL REMUNERATION THROUGH EMPLOYMENT, THEY MUST BE PREPARED TO GET EQUAL PAY LIKE THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE COUNTRY. HONESTLY, NIGERIA NEEDS COMPETENT AND SPECIALIZED MEDICAL DOCTORS IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE URGE BY OUR POLITICIANS AND WEALTHY NIGERIANS TO SEEK FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES OVERSEAS. BILLION OF NAIRA ARE WASTED FOR TREATMENTS THAT CAN BE HANDLED LOCALLY AND THE TREND SHOULD BE CONSIDERABLY REDUCED BY ENCOURAGING NIGERIAN MEDICAL DOCTORS WHO ARE WILLING TO RETURN HOME IN ORDER TO SAVE FOREIGN EXCHANGE FOR THE COUNTRY.
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