Nigerian medical
practitioners based in the United States of America under the aegis of the
Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas on Tuesday said they were
determined to relocate to the country if the Federal Government could
provide incentives for them.
The doctors, led by
their National President, Nkem Chukwumerije, stated this in Abuja when their
executive officers paid a courtesy call on the Chairman, Senate Committee
on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho, at the National Assembly
complex.
The ANPA members said
they were interested in returning home to help their fatherland but
lamented the government had not done enough to encourage them.
Chukwumerije
listed poor remuneration, inadequate modern equipment and
a lack of low interest loans for those who want to set up medical
facilities in Nigeria as some of the impediments to their homecoming.
He said, “The major
barrier preventing the relocation of medical doctors back to Nigeria is
incentive. Every human character and behaviour is linked to incentives. Some of
the incentives to get back the medical doctors abroad to Nigeria are not in
place.
“Most of us here love
our country and our hearts are in Nigeria but we just have to be physically at
another country. We are very passionate about improving health care
system here but the incentives, especially remuneration sends people out and
force them to remain abroad.
“Another thing is a
lack of proper equipment to work with. Most people abroad honestly want to come
back. But to physically relocate, we will need the right financial
incentives.
“The Federal Government
should provide low interest loans for health care workers so that medical
practitioners abroad could bring their money and have access to low interest
loans.”
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