The Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA) has opposed the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to make it compulsory for medical and dental graduates to render services within Nigeria for five years before being granted a full license. The proposed legislation is aimed at checking the mass exodus of medical professionals from Nigeria, which has been experiencing one of the worst cases of brain drain in its history.
NiMSA President, Ejim Egba, described the bill as unpatriotic, ill-timed, and a breach of the fundamental human rights of doctors enshrined in the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended. According to the association, the proposed bill is aimed at strangulating the medical profession rather than addressing the root causes of brain drain, such as lack of infrastructure, inadequate and inappropriate remuneration, and poor working conditions.
NiMSA believes that a more comprehensive approach is required to tackle the issue of brain drain in Nigeria. Instead of forcefully taking doctors as slaves, the lawmakers should focus on creating an enabling environment that encourages doctors to stay and work in Nigeria. The association added that the proposed bill violates the fundamental human rights of medical professionals and will discourage students from pursuing medical education in Nigeria, which will further exacerbate the problem of the shortage of healthcare professionals.
NiMSA called on the sponsor of the bill, Ganiyu Johnson (APC/Lagos), to withdraw it with immediate effect and seek better ways of finding a lasting solution to the problem of brain drain through consultative collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the health sector, coupled with the government’s willingness to address the root causes and underlying issues that drive healthcare professionals away from Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation has warned that brain drain could negatively impact the health systems and hinder progress toward achieving universal health coverage and health security. The Nigerian government needs to take urgent and strategic steps to address the issue of brain drain in the country, such as improving working conditions, providing better remuneration, and creating an enabling environment that encourages healthcare professionals to stay and work in Nigeria.