Why Bill On Compulsory 5-Year Service For Nigerian Doctors Is Evil, Vindictive –Delta Ex-Governor, Uduaghan
The bill to mandate medical doctors to practise in Nigeria for at least five years before moving abroad if they want which is before the House of Representatives has been described as ‘evil and vindictive’.
The proposed legislation tilted, “Bill for an Act to Amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap. M379, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to mandate any Nigeria-trained Medical or Dental Practitioner to Practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five before being granted a full licence by the council in order to make quality health services available to Nigeria,” was sponsored by Ganiyu Johnson, member representing Oshodi/Isolo federal constituency II in the House Of Representatives, Lagos State.
Speaking at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun, headquarters of Uvwie Local Government Area in Delta state on Thursday during the 45th AGM and International Scientific Conference of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) with the theme: “Crisis In The Global Healthcare Manpower: Local Implications And Solutions”, the immediate past governor of the state, Emmanuel Uduaghan, a medical doctor by profession, described the bill as ‘evil and vindictive’ and called on Nigerians to as a matter of urgency and importance reject the passage of the bill.
Uduaghan who was honoured with an honorary patron of the ANPMP, stated that the proposed Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which has scaled through second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives should not be allowed to become law as the bill is inimical to the progress of doctors whose parents and sponsors had invested heavily in their education.
He said, “Every doctor sitting here and indeed all Nigerians should oppose the proposed bill. It is a very evil and vindictive plot against doctors. The mass exodus of doctors to foreign climes, especially to the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and a few Arabian countries has further worsened the precarious situation in the health sector in Nigeria.
“It is an unprecedented brain drain that had never been witnessed in the history of the country. I don’t believe the way out is tying down our doctors. Rather serious and special efforts should be made to attract our doctors to remote areas of our country in need of doctors and the remuneration should be attractive too.”
The immediate past governor, however, pledged to appear before the committee on health when a public hearing is called for the bill and encouraged all doctors to oppose it vehemently. (SaharaReporters)
