Following the mass migration of medical doctors from Nigeria to other countries of the world, especially Europe and America, President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Prof. Mohammad Aminu, has suggested ways that such migration can be tackled or brought to the barest minimum.
For starters, he said, in order to reduce migration of well-trained Nigerian doctors, there is an urgent need to increase investment in critical infrastructures in the country, and then prioritise doctors welfare.
Prof. Aminu revealed this while leading members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association on a courtesy visit to Mr. President in Abuja in continuation of their advocacy visits to critical stakeholders as regard to the welfare of its members and the challenges bedeviling health sector.
President Tinubu was represented by the Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate.
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Briefs of the visit issued to newsmen in Jos the Plateau State capital on Sunday by its publicity secretary, Dr Godwin Adgidzi, said the federal government has been urged to conduct training and re-training for medical doctors within Nigeria and abroad to keep them abreast with global best practices in order to encourage new skills acquisition and super specialisation.
The statement pointed out that there is also an urgent need to convene a healthcare and education summit to enable government, its partners and stakeholders discuss critically the policies of government, such as increasing enrolment of healthcare students so as to ensure its effectiveness and maximise its benefits.
“President Bola Tinubu has also been urged to intervene in the harmonisation of payment with CONMESS Salary structure for consultants, increase in the retirement age for hospital consultants to 70 years and as a matter of fact review CONMESS salary structure and allowances among other demands.
“Half of our members (Honorary Consultants) are primarily teaching in the various universities of learning, mainly in the Faculties of Dentistry, Faculties of Basic Clinical Sciences and Faculties of Clinical Sciences, domiciled with the Colleges of Health or Medical Sciences of our various universities.
‘The remaining half (Hospital consultants) are working with the various teaching hospitals and federal medical centre. The two categories mentioned above share everything in common in terms of their training and qualification, but they are remunerated differently, with the later placed appropriately on CONMESS salary scale, while the former are being denied the same salary scale and the former retire at 70 and the later 60 years.
“This development should be addressed as soon as possible to reduce the scourge of migration of the highly trained manpower from our hospitals and medical schools and increase medical teachers taking up university positions to support the government’s policy of doubling enrolment and production of well-trained doctors,” the statement partly read.
It added that the federal government should also review remuneration and allowances, inclusion of members in the current government housing schemes, robust intramural practice and special healthcare funding at a single digit interest to enable diversification and development of public private partnership.
Meanwhile, MDCAN commended President Bola Tinubu for the numerous achievements recoded under the stewardship of dedicated Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, saying that there has been ongoing reforms in the health sector.
Some of the reforms, according to the association, included the unbundling of the healthcare economy, improving local manufacturing of drugs and consumables, restoring funding for heath professional regulatory councils, waiver for employment of critical core clinical human resource and improved welfare for healthcare workers.
Most, importantly, the body said, the increased number of enrolment of core healthcare training institutions will certainly make Nigeria to be self sufficient in the next few years.
The statement also assured MDCAN total commitment to the federal government to achieve all the laudable health, education and other programs laid out for the benefit of Nigerians.
In his reaction, the health minister, Prof Pate, said the president has prioritised health sector as some of their concerns were already being addressed, and urged the association to see the Ministry of Health as a worthy partner in progress for the over all development and progress of the sector.
Other officials at the courtesy visit included, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms Kachollom Daju, the Director, Hospital Services, Dr Jimoh Salaudeen and Director, Human Resources Management, Tetshoma T. Dafeta, among others.
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