Nigeria May Have to Import Doctors in Future – NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said the increasing relocation of doctors may result in importation of medical practitioners in future.

Oyo State NMA Chairman, Dr. Ayotunde Fasunla, raised the alarm in Ibadan on Tuesday at the 2022 scientific conference themed ‘National Health Authority Act – The Sound Bites’.

Fasunla said the state of the health sector caused mass migration of health personnel to Europe, America, Middle East and other African countries.

The chairman lamented the condition of government-owned hospitals, poor remuneration, allowance, among others.

The NMA complained that the budgetary allocation to the health sector in the 2022 budget was just over 4 percent.

The figure, he noted, fell short of the 15 percent minimum recommendation of the African Union (AU) at the Abuja Declaration.

Fasunla confirmed that some hospitals spend a significant amount of their internally generated revenues on diesel.

“There is scarcity of funds to apply for equipment upgrade, manpower development or even recruitment of new staff.

“Many of our hospitals are grossly under-staffed. Even the process of replacing migrating staff is bogged down by a rigid government bureaucracy.

“It is our plea to the government to commit more funds to the health sector so that the system does not collapse”, NAN quoted him saying.

Fasunla urged Nigerians, philanthropists, and non-governmental organisations to collaborate with the government to improve healthcare