By Asmau Ahmad
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the bill for compulsory five-year service for graduates in medical and dental fields before being granted full licence was legislated with good intention.
He made his position known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
The amendment bill, sponsored by a House of Representatives member, Ganiyu Johnson, states: “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap. M379, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“It is to mandate any Nigeria-trained Medical or Dental Practitioner to Practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five years before being granted full licence by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
“It is to make quality health services available to Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB.2130).”
The bill passed for second reading on April 6, and it has since attracted widespread reactions.
According to Dr Ehanire, the intention is good because it is talking about curbing brain drain.
He said, “If I can read the mind of Johnson properly, he wants to be able to keep those who have studied here a bit longer for some time before they can be free to go.
“If you look at the fees we pay at our universities, definitely they don’t make up for the cost of training.
“If you want to know what it costs to train a doctor, go to a private university and know what they pay for school fees.
“That is a benchmark of what it costs but in our public universities, we don’t pay anything near that.
“So, actually, it means that it is subsidised with taxpayers’ money, because if the government allows you to get the training for about one-tenth or one-twentieth of the cost of the private university, then it means it is subsidised.
“Therefore, I am sure Ganiyu was thinking about those in that category, who should also give back to the country, having received classy education that is respected outside.
“This is because even the cost of training here is very small compared to school fees paid in foreign countries to become a doctor. I think this is the angle the representative was looking at the issue from.”
Dr Ehanire further said that it may not necessarily have to be by law because the moral understanding is also to make it clear if one has received quality education and then give back to the sponsor.
“So, I think maybe, the same moral issue people have to look at is whether the bill goes through or not, but this remains a moral issue,” he added.
