The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA and National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, have described have debunked the claim by the Labour Minister, Dr Chris Ngige that Nigeria has more than enough, medical doctors.
Describing the minister’s comment as “unfortunate” the medical practitioners quoting the World Health Organisation, WHO, said Nigeria has 40,000 doctors caring for 200m people.
Ngige, had while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, said he was not bothered that medical doctors were leaving Nigeria in droves, saying that the nation had more than enough of them and must therefore “export” to other countries.
Responding to a question on whether he was concerned that the nation could be facing medical crisis with the number of doctors leaving Nigeria, the minister responded, “We have more than enough, quote me.
“They go out, sharpen their skills, earn money and send them back home here.
“We have foreign exchange earnings from them. Indians are doing it.”
But in his reaction, the NMA president, Dr. Adedayo Faduyile, said Nigeria did not have enough doctors.
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He said, “That is an unfortunate statement which shows that he has done nothing in medical practice.
“The World Health Organisation stated that, for optimal healthcare to be achieved, we need doctor/patient ratio of one to 600.
“In Nigeria, we have 40,000 doctors taking care of 200 million people.
“It’s unfortunate; we do not have enough doctors. Maybe he is looking at the monetary part, but there is opportunity cost.
“We have the maternal mortality that is about the highest in the world. To correct it, we need health professionals around.”
President of NARD, Dr. Olusegun Olaopa, described Ngige as a politician.
“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 shortage of specialist doctors.”
