Eniola Akinkuotu, Jesusegun Alagbe and Tunde Ajaja
The Nigerian Medical Association and the Commonwealth Medical Association have reacted to the United States’ offer of employment to medical professionals willing to help in the treatment of coronavirus patients in the US.
The President of the NMA, Dr Francis Faduyile, said people, including doctors, had the right to work anywhere they pleased.
He, however, called on the Nigerian government to do the needful by strengthening the health system and making health workers comfortable for them to stay in Nigeria.
The President of the CMA, Dr Osahon Enabulele, also called on the Federal Government to do everything possible to retain its health workers in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to one of our correspondents, Faduyile said if doctors were well treated, they wouldn’t bother to travel abroad.
He, however, cautioned doctors who might want to leave the country to be sure they would be protected and that the condition of service would be in their interest before they left.
He said, “If Nigerian doctors are well taken care of, many of them would prefer to stay, but if they are not well taken care of, I see some difficulties in anybody telling them to stay. Again, everybody has a fundamental right to travel or move anywhere to practise.
“I’m a medical doctor and I’d like doctors to stay in Nigeria. However, what has the government put in place to make its employees comfortable? I know we have many doctors and other health professionals who want to work in this country.
“So if the government does the needful, they may not have any reason to leave. Doctors and medical workers who are not gainfully employed or who are being owed (salaries) must find ways to fend for themselves.”
However, Faduyile cautioned doctors intending to grab the US’ offer, saying although the offer might sound interesting presently, it might turn sour if they (doctors) were not “protected.”
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