The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has assured Nigerians that the mass emigration of healthcare professionals, referred to as the “japa syndrome,” will soon come to an end.
The Minister gave the assurance during a working visit to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) in Benin, the Edo State capital.
While expressing concern over the scourge, Salako attributed the impending end of the trend to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu efforts. He pointed out that Tinubu’s administration has focused its efforts to strengthen the health sector through strategic reforms and policies.
The Minister also expressed confidence that the Government’s efforts would address the challenges facing the health sector.
Salako, therefore, urged public hospital workers not to feel compelled to leave the country. He assured that given the ongoing improvements in remuneration and working conditions. “Within Nigeria’s economic realities, health workers are among the best-paid professionals.
“However, beyond salary increases, we must cultivate a stronger sense of commitment and passion for the profession,” he said.
The Minister warned that raising doctors’ salaries alone would not solve the sector’s challenges.
He said, “If we increase doctors’ pay, other professionals, such as teachers, will also demand pay raises.”
Salako, therefore, urged health workers to embrace patriotism and to consider the long-term benefits of staying in their country.
He said, “East or West, home is best. No matter where you go outside your country, you remain a second-class citizen.”
The Minister also spoke on the menace of power outage at health institutions across the country. He, therefore, lauded UBTH for its innovative approach to managing the issue.
Salako also pledged increased government funding for public hospitals across the country. This is even as he emphasized that healthcare remained a national priority.
He said, “Health is the essence of living. And adequate funding is key to addressing the sector’s challenges.”
Salako described japa syndrome in the health sector as an economic issue that requires a comprehensive approach beyond the sector.
He assured that with the policies in place, particularly those focused on capacity building, the tide would soon turn.
source: The Nation
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