Feyisayo Ogunbiyi
Former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has attributed the increasing migration of Nigerian doctors to poor remuneration, calling for a separation of medical professionals from the traditional civil service pay structure.
Speaking as chairman of the 47th International Conference and General Meeting of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) in Abeokuta on Thursday, Daniel stressed that Nigerian doctors are excelling globally but are undervalued at home.
“The best surgeons and doctors abroad are either Nigerians or Indians. When you visit hospitals overseas, you find a large number of Nigerians practicing there,” he said.
“What I think should be done is to separate medical practitioners from the core services in terms of remuneration. Their pay should reflect their specialized skills and global demand.”
The senator also advocated for systemic support for Nigerians battling terminal illnesses, noting that many families are financially ruined by the cost of treatment.
He revealed that a bill aimed at funding terminal diseases has reached the second reading stage at the National Assembly.
Daniel proposed that part of the declared annual profits of commercial banks be allocated to this fund.
“Banks are declaring trillions in profit. A portion of these profits should be set aside as a health fund, so Nigerians facing terminal illnesses like cancer and kidney failure can access financial relief,” he said.
In his keynote address, former Cross River State Governor, Dr. Donald Duke, echoed Daniel’s sentiments, identifying manpower shortages, poor remuneration, and medical brain drain as major challenges in the health sector.
“Teachers and health workers ought to be the best paid in the country,” Duke said, urging the government to reallocate funds from “parasitic” sectors to more productive areas like healthcare. He also advocated for a robust insurance policy for health workers to enhance healthcare delivery and funding.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who also spoke at the event, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to expanding insurance coverage through the introduction of catastrophic health insurance.
“The government has decided to support social security networks by strengthening the insurance system. Under this initiative, Nigerians suffering from catastrophic health problems, including terminal illnesses, will be covered under a special insurance scheme,” he said.
“This will enable us to sustainably provide subsidies and ease the financial burden on patients.”
The conference brought together leading voices in Nigeria’s healthcare sector to deliberate on sustainable strategies for improving the nation’s medical landscape amid growing concerns over medical tourism and brain drain.
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