By Muhammad Amaan
The Nigeria’s Federal Government said it is working towards creating conducive environment for workers in the healthcare sector.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, stated this on Thursday during the maiden induction of 25 graduating medical doctors of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.
Represented by Yakubu Abdullahi, his Senior Special Adviser on Unlocking Healthcare Value Chain, Pate said the government would provide enabling environment for health practitioners to stem ‘Japa’ syndrome.
According to Pate, when these efforts begin to yield results, it will encourage those who already left the country to come back home to practice and further enhance the sector.
“There are two core areas of this initiative and the first one is the provision of an enabling environment in tackling every hurdle that is making it difficult for the medical and healthcare services in Nigeria less affordable and accessible.
“The second one is encouraging medical professionals that are even in diaspora to begin to see the reasons why they should come back home and put their talents, expertise, experience and knowledge in the healthcare service delivery.
“Thousands of them are out there in the UK, U.S., and other parts of the world for reasons being that the environment in Nigeria is not conducive and, in this regard, we are trying to make some changes so that they are being attracted back home,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Mohammed Shehu, urged the doctors to respect human dignity and rights of their patients.
Prof. Shehu enjoined them to uphold professionalism and honesty as well as shun self-advertisement unless if permitted by law and ethics of the profession.
Dr Fatima Kyari, the Registrar of the Medicine and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), said the Council would register the medical doctors after the induction and provide them with the Provisional Registration (PR).
She said they were expected to utilise the PR to create individual account on its portal and also select a hospital for the two-year mandatory houseman ship training.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Muhammad AbdulAziz, commended the Bauchi state government and stakeholders for their supports towards successful take off of the College of Medical Sciences.
He said the College would continue to provide the nation with quality trained graduates in both character and learning.
