Don’t Japa, Health Minister Pleads With New Foreign-trained Doctors

The minister of state for health and social welfare, Tunji Alausa, has pleaded with foreign-trained medical doctors who were inducted on Thursday not to abandon the country for career opportunities abroad.

Making this call at their induction ceremony on Thursday, Alausa assured them that the government is committed to creating a conducive environment for them to perform their duties, excel, and find fulfilment.

Naija News reports that Alausa, who was represented by his special adviser, Ismaila Adiatu, promised that infrastructure would be improved and expanded, adding that the working conditions of the health workers would be addressed as part of the government’s effort to deter them from emigrating to other countries.

He said, “Don’t japa, stay behind and help your country. We will provide an enabling environment for you to practice and be satisfied. We will improve the infrastructure, the conditions and the salary.

“Please don’t go, even if for your parents and your relatives, stay behind so that the field is not left for quacks.”

Out of the 416 medical and dental graduates who satisfied the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) examiners to boost the nation’s capacity for human resources in health, 70 percent of the inductees are women.

His comment comes as Nigerians continue to explore emigration from the country to seek greener pastures in Western nations.