The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has reacted to the move by the House of Representatives to enact legislation, prohibiting medical practitioners from moving abroad for work within five years after leaving school or training.
On Thursday, the amendment of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, sponsored by Ganiyu Johnson, (APC Lagos) passed second reading in the House of Representatives. The bill seeks to withhold practicing licenses from medical practitioners until they have worked for five years in Nigeria.
Its intent is to fight brain-drain in the health sector by limiting the number of healthcare workers moving abroad in search of better work conditions.
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“The bill is titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap. M379, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004’ is to mandate any Nigeria-trained medical or dental practitioner to practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five years before being granted a full license by the Council to make quality health services available to Nigeria; and for related matters (H B.2130),” Johnson, who represents Oshodi/Isolo Constituency, said.
But the amendment bill has triggered a backlash, with both the general public and medical professionals in Nigeria condemning it.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr Victor Makanjuola, and Secretary-General, Dr Yemi Raji, MDCAN described the bill as discriminatory, harsh and not in the people’s interest. The association said the bill is misdirected and ill-informed, adding that it was poorly thought through and serves an excellent example of modern-day slavery.
“In fact, this bill can do the exact opposite: aggravating the exodus which we have been working with the executive arm of government to mitigate. It is pertinent to state that none of the suggestions of the inter-ministerial committee on brain drain and bonding of health workers has been implemented to date.
“Perhaps, a simple consultation with the primary constituency affected by the bill would have afforded the honorable member a clearer understanding of the hydra-headed nature of the problem he is trying to solve.
“This bill, without making any assumptions about the ill intent of the proposer, simply lacks the basic ingredients of good faith in the sense that it is both discriminatory and harsh, to say the least, and not in the interest of the people,” MDCAN said in the statement.
Nigerian medical professionals have been leaving in droves, exacerbating the country’s poor healthcare system. While the reasons behind their exodus have been centered on poor pay, work tools and residency training, the lawmakers believe that passing the bill will force Nigeria-trained doctors to stay behind for 5 years and will stop them from mass-emigrating.
The President, Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Emeka Orji, said the move is as selfish and anti-people, asking the House to withdraw it.
“Some people want to cause trouble for this government before they leave. NARD is averse to such an anti-people bill and it is unfortunate that an honorable member will be thinking about that. That is selfishness.
“Have they come up with bills to stop public officials from seeking medical services abroad at taxpayers’ expense? They will not do that because it is affecting them directly and instead of addressing the root causes of brain drain, they are going to the symptom, and that is totally unacceptable.
“We know that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is someone that reasons a lot and we intend to reach out to him, that bill needs to be withdrawn,” he said.
The medical practitioners said they’re ready to fight the bill using every legal means necessary, amid the rising controversy trailing it.