‘Japa’: Our members migrating due to lack of legislative bill – Physicists

The Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP) has expressed worry over the migration of its skilled members from Nigeria, describing it as alarming.

This, NAMP attributed to the lack of legislative Bill backing the profession.

Prof. Abdulfatai Akintunde Balogun, President of NAMP, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the 2024 International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP), themed: “Inspiring the next generation of Medical Physicists”

According to Balogun medical physicists in Nigeria are working in a wide array of fields from radiotherapy to medical imaging, radiation protection, and dosimetry.

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He said although notable milestones have been achieved, however, NAMP is faced with some challenges.

He said: “Despite the progress made, the country continues to grapple with issues such as limited access to modern equipment, inadequate funding for research and training, and the need for better integration of medical physics in healthcare policy and decision-making.

“Additionally, we are faced with serious legislative hurdles that continue to hinder our progress. At the national level, the Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP) Bill is currently in the National Assembly, and it requires urgent attention.

“There are also critical pieces of legislation — the Regulatory Council Bill and the Medical Physics College Bill — which have been passed from one session of the National Assembly to another without resolution. These bills are vital to the professional recognition, welfare, and development of medical physicists in Nigeria.

“Without these legislative frameworks, our Scheme of Service continues to face significant setbacks.

“The lack of clear and robust legislation has stymied our professional growth, created uncertainty around career progression, and hindered our ability to attract and retain talent within the profession. This lack of legislative support is also a major contributing factor to the “Japa” syndrome — the emigration of skilled medical physicists seeking better opportunities abroad.”

Balogun said that with the right policies and recognition in place, NAMP would retain its best hands, reduce brain drain, and ensure that our profession thrives within Nigeria.

He said NAMP urgently call on the National Assembly to prioritise the NAMP Bill and ensure that the Regulatory Council and Medical Physics College Bills are passed into law.

Senator Oyelola Ashiru Yisa , the Deputy Majority Leader of the 10th Assembly, said he sponsored the NAMP bill because of its importance to the healthcare of Nigerians.

Yisa represented by his Senior Legislative Aide, Onyinloye Benjamin, said ,“When you look at the scale in which you measure the importance of the medical physics bill it is all about a national interest for the country to align itself with global best practices.

“I am disposed towards such things to serve Nigeria.”

Also speaking, Chief Consultant Physicist, National Hospital, Abuja, Taofeeq Ige, expressed hope that the 10th assembly will pass the Bill to revamp cancer treatment in nigeria.

“The medical physicists are part of the professionals, the teamwork in treating particularly the cancer patients in the country,and unfortunately as we speak, medical physicists are the only professionals in the cancer space in this country today that does not have a regulatory body.

“Which means it is really, really very dangerous. But what we are dealing with here is radiation. This is something you cannot see, you cannot touch, you cannot feel.

“So we need to really put this as part of the international best practices so that eventually these numerous patients that we are talking about are going to benefit maximally from the use of radiation in this country today.”