FG To Engage ‘Japa’ Doctors To Solve Healthcare Challenges
By: Raymond Osho
The federal government has disclosed plan to launched an initiative to engage with Nigerian health workers in the diaspora, in a bid to address the human resource challenges facing Nigeria’s health sector.
The move according to the Federal Government, is part of a broader strategy to address the brain drain in the health sector, exacerbated by the “japa syndrome” that has seen many medical practitioners leave the country.
The Minister for State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako disclosed this during a town hall meeting with heads of department at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro Abeokuta, Ogun State on Friday.
Salako disclosed that the federal government is “harvesting” the contributions of Nigerian doctors in the UK, US, Ireland amongst others to support the country’s healthcare system.
The Minister equally noted that to mitigate the japa syndrome, the government is expanding its capacity to train health workers and has been given the green light by President Bola Tinubu to recruit more health workers than any other sector.
He said “We are expanding our capacity to train health workers, we are also harvesting the Nigerian health workers in diaspora – we are having a robust diasporan engagement with Nigerians health workers in the UK, US, Ireland, they may not be physically presence but we can still harvest their contributions to the health sector in Nigeria.
“Mr President has given us a weaver to recruit more health workers than any other sector. These are the mechanism we are putting in place to make sure that we address the challenges at the health sector.
Meanwhile, the Minister appealed to the state government to domesticate the mental helath act at the state level to further cater for the mental health of the residents.
Responding to the appeal while speaking with Journalist after the meeting, the Commissioner for health, Dr Tomi Coker said that the state will domesticate the mental health act, adding that it is part of the commitment of the state to the people.
“We are definitely going to domesticate the mental helath act because its one of our commitment to the people. With the pressure of the society, the more people suffer from mental health challenge. It is our job to ensure that our citizens are kept safe.
“Collaboration with the federal government is continuous on a daily basis. We collaborate on the primary health level. We have facilities that the federal government is helping us to upgrade. We will continue to partner with the federal government, “ the Commissioner said.
Earlier in his address, the Provost amd Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dr Paul Agboola, disclosed that the Neuropsychiatric hospital is ready to partner with the state government to domesticate the mental health act.
“Its quite a greate joy for us that the Minister is visiting the hospital. We are looking for collaboration from the ministry of health on the implementation of the mental health act.
“We want to collaborate with the state government to domesticate the mental health act in ogun state. I have spoke with the Commissioner for Helath and she is ready for the domestication”.
