‘Japa’ syndrome affecting Nigeria’s health sector, says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed worry over the effect of medical doctors’ migration from Nigeria, describing it as alarming.

He also asked government at all levels to prioritize the welfare of health practitioners to reduce brain drain in the sector and enhance quality health care delivery.

Obasanjo spoke on Thursday at the 44th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The event was held at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.

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Delivering his lecture on the themed “Evolving Roles Of Doctors In Healthcare Management and Nation Building”, the former president, represented by the FMC’s Medical Director, Prof Adewale Musa-Olomu, lamented that the present economic crisis has contributed to health practitioners seeking greener pasture outside the country.

Obasanjo said: “Resident doctors constitute the bedrock of whatever medical services any country is offering its citizens and Nigeria is not an exception.

“It is therefore very necessary for government at all levels to ensure that there are good welfare packages for the doctors without whom it will be impossible to render any meaningful service.

“Having seen the amount of works resident doctors are offering in our hospitals, I therefore appeal that we should see to their welfare.

“The rate at which Japa syndrome is affecting our health sector is alarming, a lot of our sub specialties are now under lock and key. We can’t operate in these offices again because the specialists have left the country.”

Governor Dapo Abiodun appreciated the doctors for their contribution to the society irrespective of the challenging environment.

Abiodun, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, urged doctors to protect the environment, pointing out that 30% of environmental problems worldwide are caused by medical waste.

“We doctors need to start paying attention to the environment from the statistics I heard last week, healthcare waste and activities contribute to 30% of environmental challenges across the globe.

“So if we don’t start doing something about environment then what planet are we leaving for our children. So, I want us to think about our waste, how can we recycle them, how can we go back and be innovative in what we use,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the president of the association, Dele Olaitan, argued that doctors are the backbone of healthcare system, urging his colleagues to redouble by offering highest standards of medical service to the patients.