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I’m Not Borders About Doctors leaving Nigeria, We Have Surplus… Ngige

Published

6 years ago

April 24, 2019

I’m Not Borders About Doctors leaving Nigeria, We Have Surplus… Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the mass exodus of young Nigerian doctors is nothing to be worried about as there is an abundance of doctors in the country.

Ngige, who spoke during Channel Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, said there was nothing wrong in young doctors going abroad to sharpen their knowledge and skills, make more money and send back to Nigeria to develop the economy.

He said that back in the days when Nigeria did not have qualified teachers, people came from all over the world to teach in Nigerian schools.

“I’m not worried, we have surplus (of Doctors), if we have a surplus, we export,” Ngige said. “I was taught Biology and Chemistry by Indian teachers in my secondary school days. They are surplus in their country.

“We have a surplus in the medical profession in our country. I can tell you this. It is my area, we have excess. We have enough, more than enough, quote me.”

Ngige pointed out that many of the Nigerian doctors practising abroad have medical centres in Nigeria that can boast of modern facilities that could not be found even in government-owned hospitals, hence there is no question of a brain drain

“There is nothing wrong, they go out to sharpen their skills, earn money and send them back home here. Yes, we have foreign exchange earnings from them, not from oil,” he continued.

“Those guys go there, they are better trained because of the facilities they have there. Eventually, I know a couple of them who practise abroad but set up medical centres back home. They have CAT scan, MRI scan which even the government hospitals cannot maintain. So, I don’t see any loss.

“Brain drain will only be inimical when for instance neurosurgeons travel and we don’t have neurosurgeons here.”

Ngige is a medical doctor by training, having graduated from the University of Nigeria-Nsukka in 1979 and worked at the National Assembly and State House clinics at different times. He retired from the civil service in 1998 as a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Health.

How true is Ngige’s claim?

Ngige’s claims re-echoed the opinion of the current Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, who said that the number of doctors in Nigeria was sufficient for the population when compared to other African countries but that the problem was the uneven distribution of doctors across the country.

Speaking during the 38th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) in September 2018, Adewole said: “Data obtained from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as of May 30, revealed that 88,692 doctors are registered in their books. Of these doctors, only 45,000 are currently practising and that gives us a ratio one doctor to 4,088 persons.

“Compared to many other African countries the ratio is not bad, for example, in South African it is one (doctor) to 4,000; in Egypt it is one to 1235; in Tanzania it is 1: 14,000; in Ethiopia, it is one to 1 to 118,000, in Kenya, it is one to 16,000 and in Cameroon it is one to 40,000.”

However, according to an article titled, “The emigration of doctors from Nigeria is not today’s problem, it is tomorrow’s”, Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas, a Fellow in the LSE (London School of Economics) Department of Health Policy, noted that though the population of doctors in Nigeria is significant when compared to other African countries, that ratio is still a very far cry from the “global recommendation of one doctor to 600 population”.

Citing a poll also organised by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Banke-Thomas noted that “there is a deficit of over 260,000 doctors in Nigeria and a minimum of 10,605 new doctors need to be recruited annually to meet global targets!”

“This gap is particularly critical for a country like Nigeria which has some of the poorest health outcome indices in the world, including the fourth highest maternal mortality ratio and the eight highest infant mortality ratio. So, to be clear, there are not enough doctors in Nigeria!” he opined.

Similarly, in May 2018, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Francis Faduyile, said that Nigerian doctors were leaving the country in high numbers because of three reasons namely, poor remuneration, poor facilities in hospitals, both of which results in lack of job satisfaction.

“Many of our health professionals are overworked. A doctor is supposed to see an average of 20 patients a day, but in Nigeria, doctors see s high as 150 patients daily” he said,

Faduyile added that “the remuneration of doctors is very poor, if you go to other climes, what we are paid here is just 10 per cent of what they collect.

On what needs to be done to make Nigerian doctors stay back home, Faduyile said: “First is when you appreciate your doctors, it will make them stay. Government needs to bring more equipment. We need to have more fund for health.

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Olawande’s 21st Century Skills initiative, A Move Towards Re-fertilization Of Nigerian Youths

Published

1 day ago

November 6, 2024

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

Transforming the Nigeria youths to equip the current and future generations with 21st century skills is important. The Africa and National Youth Day 2024 is therefore a historic moment to put a need 21st century skills at the forefront toward the the growth and development of all.

Nigeria as a nation has made meaningful progress in education over the past 60 years, with more girls in school and more students in Higher education system than ever before.

Reports showed that School completion rates have increased from 2000 to 2022 at all levels.

Still, these gains are insufficient to prepare Nigerians youth for the 21st century and its fast-changing professional landscape. By 2030, roughly 60 million jobs iin Nigeria and 230 million in Africa will demand digital skills. Classroom practices must shift to meet these future employability needs and nurture creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Nigeria recorded the largest population of young people in the continent of Africa that means a 21st century skills is critical to to equip the current and future generations.

Based on this, Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande who has been promoter and advocate of digital skiill even before he became Minister has once again initiate digital literacy programmes, technical skills empowerment and leadership insight and urged young people to actively develop and adopt crucial 21st-century skills to effectively combat the rising issue of unemployment.

When he was Minister Youth for State, he introducing the Youth Development Fund to support young entrepreneurs, implementing the Youth Empowerment Program, training over 10,000 young people in vocational skills, establishing the Youth Mentorship Initiative, pairing young people with experienced professionals, and developing the National Youth Policy, providing a framework for youth development.

He also initiated the “One Youth One Ward” initiative to tackle drug abuse, established the Youth Innovation Hub, hosted the National Youth Conference, rolled out the Youth Volunteer Program, fostered partnerships with private sector organizations amongst others.

He has implement innovative programs, foster strategic partnerships, and demonstrated unwavering commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunities.

Now Minister of Youth without doubt has been at the forefront of this journey, demonstrating unwavering dedication to empowering Nigerians youth even from his school days.

Comrade Ayodele Olawande made this appeal today in Abuja during the Africa and National Youth Day Celebration with the theme : ‘ Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century’ and sub-theme: ‘Building a Resilient Education System: A New Hope for Nigerian Youth’,

He said such skills like critical thinking, digital literacy, and effective communications are essential tools for navigating the increasingly competitive job markets.

Olawande strongly advocated for the youth of Nigeria to prioritize the investment of their time and put efforts in developing a diverse range of essential skills and competencies by actively engaging in the pursuit that can significantly enhance their employability that will make them attractive candidates before their potential employers.

According to the Minister, “acquiring these skills will equip youth to confidently navigate the complexities and demands of an increasingly competitive job market, where adaptability and innovation are crucial. This proactive approach plays a vital role in addressing the rising unemployment crisis that has been affecting many young Nigerians today.”

“Through dedicated skill development, they can not only improve their job prospects but also lay the groundwork for sustainable career growth and success in the long run. In this rapidly evolving economic landscape, embracing continuous learning and professional development is not just beneficial; it is essential for achieving one’s career aspirations,” he explained.

The Minister further explained that the theme, “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century,” serves as a powerful endorsement of the One Youth Two Skills initiative, adding that it will foster practical skills alongside formal education.

Olawande stated : “This initiative aims to empower youth and create sustainable employment opportunities. Ultimately, the initiative is a key component of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to eliminate unemployment and promote economic growth across the continent”.

In his paper presentation, Professor Ahmed Adamu, a lecturer at Nile University, Abuja, stated that by next year, 85 million jobs will be lost due to technological advancements, while 97 million new jobs are expected to be created.

Professor Adamu stressed that the future job market will heavily favour those individuals who proactively seek to acquire new skills and adapt to the evolving technological landscape.

Adamu said that for one to go far in whatever they are doing, they must be self-disciplined, duly intelligent and have the consistency in learning.

However, the minister of Youth led the teaming youths on a road walk from the Ministry to BMO Event Centre to Celebrate Africa and National Youth Day.

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