The National Assembly has been petitioned by medical and dentistry professionals operating under the auspices of the Diaspora Medical Associations on a bill that would require graduates of these fields to perform five years of mandatory service within Nigeria before receiving a full license to practice.
‘Re: A position statement from diaspora medical organizations – Bill aiming to ban newly certified medical physicians and dentists from leaving Nigeria,’ read the letter, which was dated April 11, 2023.
The letter, which was made accessible to the media on Tuesday, was written to Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The DMA claimed that Ganiyi Johnson’s Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, which passed the second reading in the House of Representatives, is ineffective and will not stop the nation’s brain drain.
The groups added that it will be fruitless to concentrate only on one component of an issue without adopting a comprehensive strategy for a long-term fix.
To stem and reverse the brain drain, the doctors also vowed to promote good improvements and the expansion of the health sector.
