BY: Sandra Ani
The NARD president, Olaopa, said Ngige spoke as a politician, adding that the nation would continue to lose doctors with advanced medical training.
He said, “Nigeria continues to lose doctors to other countries across all levels but the worst hit are those with advanced medical training who are required to use the national investment and training for the betterment of the populace.
“Does the minister even know the number of doctors in Nigeria or when was the last time he was involved in the provider end of health care? Such statement as this from handlers of the Federal Government makes you to wonder if the government is truly committed to solving problems of inadequate manpower in the health sector. Doctors overwork themselves even in urban setting let alone the non-availability of medical personnel in the rural areas.
“The minister is totally ignorant of the health system situation in Nigeria and it is unfortunate that someone who should know would make such a spurious pronouncement on national television. He spoke as a politician and nothing more. And we strongly doubt he represents the views of his paymasters.”
Olaopa said Ngige’s statement was uncalled for
“It is sad that somebody of his calibre will try to go to that extent of covering up a large degree of incompetence of not doing proper diligence. It shows that he does not even have the number of registered medical doctors practising in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that many of our politicians are used to urban lifestyles. They don’t know what is happening in the rural areas and they only pay lip service to health care development in Nigeria. It means we are not ready to identify the problems that we have in the health sector let alone providing solutions to them. Every time, doctors are stressing themselves out because we don’t have enough equipment and manpower.
“He spoke as a politician who does not know what is happening in the country. The doctors we are losing are not fresh doctors but specialists. That means that Nigeria will continue to battle with the shortage of specialist doctors.”
Ngige is wrong, we don’t have enough doctors – MDCAN
Also, the National President, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, Prof Ngim Ngim, in an interview with The PUNCH, said Ngige was wrong about Nigeria having enough doctors.
He said, “I don’t know what must have informed the minister’s opinion, but the doctor: patient ratio in Nigeria is still far below the WHO recommendation. In as much as anybody has the right to travel out of the country, the government must put measures in place to give enough medical manpower in the country to take care of the population.
“Brain drain in the health sector is a big problem in the country; Nigeria does not have enough doctors, all efforts must, therefore, be made to keep the ones that are still in the country.”
SERAP faults minister
Also, SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, disagreed with the minister.
He said, “Let us take it one after the other. Everyone has a legal right to travel and work in any country that he or she wishes. But the minister should be asked; if he says we have sufficient medical doctors in Nigeria, he should tell us the areas of specialisation he means. Is it in the area of surgery or what is he telling us?
“This is because we know that Nigerians go on medical tourism and the basis they use for it is because there are no specialised doctors in those areas.
“What we should ask the minister is that in what areas of health is he saying that we have surplus medical doctors? If it is not in the critical areas of human health and Nigerians are forced to go abroad to seek treatments, then there is a problem.”
Brain drain should worry Ngige – People with disabilities
While commenting on the effect of the minister’s statement on Nigerians’ right to health, the President of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Ekaete Umoh, said the minister was wrong.
She said, “The minister did not do well. He should have tried to understand why the doctors are leaving. People have the right to move but if they are leaving in large numbers, we should be concerned.
“If they are leaving because we don’t have the infrastructure and if they are frustrated, that is a big problem for Nigeria. If you underfund the health sector, it is a big problem. A lot of the doctors would have loved to wait but they cannot practise under a difficult situation, Ngige should be worried. Do we have enough experts and specialists? We are losing.”
Source: Punch Newspapers