"Health is back on Front Burner”: Tinubu Appeals to Nigerian Doctors Abroad to Return

• President Bola Tinubu has begged Nigerian health workers abroad to “sacrifice their time to come back home and serve their people.”
• Tinubu said his administration's Renewed Hope mandate is bringing health back on the front burner
• The President added that his government is prioritising and improving the health sector through massive investments.

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

State House, Abuja - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pleaded with Nigerian doctors in the diaspora to return to the country.

Tinubu said health was back on the front burner as can be seen increased allocation of funds to the sector in the proposed 2024 budget, The Punch reported.

As reported by Arise News, Tinubu added that his administration was prioritising and improving Nigeria’s health sector through massive investments.

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Tinubu stated this at the unveiling of Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, December 12.

“Delivering improved quality health is an underpinning factor in my promise of Renewed Hope to Nigerians. That hope is ignited here today with the support of all multilateral partners and agencies; health is back on the front burner.”

He added that:

“We encourage those Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora, just like Professor Ali Pate and Tunji Alausa have done, to sacrifice their time to come back home and serve their people. Consider your contributions here at home, as we say, ‘Charity begins at home’.

Only 10,000 resident doctors remaining in Nigeria, says NARD

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) revealed the number of medical doctors in the country.

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According to the president of the association, Dr Emeka Orji, only about 10,000 resident doctors are left. According to him, about 100 resident doctors leave the country monthly to seek greener pastures.

He explained that the major causes of the emigration were poor remuneration, poor welfare, and lack of housing schemes

Nigerian doctors to be stopped from relocating abroad?

A bill aimed at curbing the migration of Nigerian-trained medical and dental practitioners to foreign countries passed second reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday, April 6.

The bill proposes that medical practitioners must have worked for at least five years in the country before being granted full licenses.

This is to address the increasing number of doctors leaving Nigeria in search of better opportunities abroad.

Source: Legit.ng