The Federal Government on Tuesday asked Nigerian doctors working in the United States and other parts of the world to return home and contribute to the development of the country’s weak health sector.

About 24,000 doctors are said to be practising in America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Southern Africa.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, made the remark while receiving a delegation of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas led by its President, Dr.Julius Kpaduwa, in Abuja.

He said the country was in dire need of their services, especially in tackling the myriad of infant and maternal deaths, and other endemic diseases bedeviling the nation.

He said government had provided a level-playing field for physicians and health workers to realise their aspirations, stressing that their skills were most needed in areas where the government resources were not adequate.

seems the number should be well above 24,000

The federal government has always asked Nigerian doctors to return, right from Gowon, to OBJ (IBB didn't know what doctors do), now to Yar'dua. The reality has been that those who honored the call to return to serve their homeland have always been frustrated; some have died, others robbed, some professionally stunted, and the rest simply returned overseas with their few remaining belongings in a pillow-case.
When the atmosphere is ripe for Nigerian doctors and even foreigners to flood Nigeria, there would be no need for a call from the federal government.

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tpia:

I doubt if too many people will respond.

What they need to do is train more doctors and [b]improve pay and working conditions for the current ones.[/b]Britain cut back on hiring foreign medical professionals some years ago and concentrated on increasing the number of home grown doctors instead.

at least thats what I heard.

Improve pay and working conditions!!! That's the key. However, the reality is that the politicians don't have the will to do that. I was surprise to learn the other time that an ordinary local governemnt councillor earns more salary that a university professor. So, you see how the pririority is arranged over there.
You spend 'a thousand years' going to school, you work 14-16hours a day, and you have medical school loans to pay back, then a politically connected high school graduate begins to earn 2-3 times what you make in the same local market?

will they provide well paying jobs and security for me and my family?

They are not serious. After spending eight years in school, they pay you peanuts. Imagine lagos state government pays 90k per month after NYSC. What's the inspiration to stay back? Few months back some female doctors were raped in LUTH. The call rooms are out of shape, some have no locks, nor air conditioners, 7 doctors sleep on one bed.

Two months back, my cousin who spent 4 years in school, got a job where she is paid 400k with official car o. While I go to work 6 times a week, do calls twice a week, and earn 99k. Tell me why on earth I won't leave this country once I get the opportunity.

Hard work, honesty, and even spending a lot of time studing used to pay off, but after IBB and his quota system Education Minister Jibril Aminu, I vivdly remember times going down-hill. The tragedy is that today, politicians think that the exception has become the norm in naija.