By OLAJIDE IDOWU

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Osun State Chapter, on Saturday, called for improved welfare for Nigerian doctors, to discorage frequent emigration from the country, popularly dubbed “japa syndrome”

The Chairman of NMA In Osun, Dr Adeniyi Fashanu, made the call in Osogbo, on the sidelines of a ‘Fitness Walk’ organised for doctors, as part of activities lined up for the association’s Physicians Week.

He told The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that an improved welfare for doctors in Nigeria would foster a return of those of them already resident abroad.

Fashanu explained that the Physicians Week is a period to celebrate and appreciate doctors for their service to humanity, which he claimed was not being sufficiently recognised.

“Doctors save lives, they respond to emergencies and help in the prevention of diseases.

“They also help in formulating and advising government in making policies that will improve the health care system of the society.

“However, the welfare of doctors is ‘below bar’ in Nigeria, and this is why we are advocating for improved welfare package for our doctors,” he said.

According to him, the current welfare package is insufficient and responsible for the mass exodus of doctors from Nigeria.

He advocated for improved welfare for Nigerian doctors, to enable them to remain in their home country and contribute more to the nation’s healthcare system.

In his remarks, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UniOsun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Dr Babatunde Afolabi, noted that doctors had made several demands on government.

He commended the state government for what it had done and was still doing for doctors in the state, but said that more was required to remedy their shortage in Osun.

“I want to say that the present government has been very magnanimous to doctors, they have assisted us in a very big way, taking care of our needs.

“There are still a lot of things that we are lacking as doctors, and we place our demands before the government, in terms of manpower, increasing availability of doctors in the state and at large.

“This is our country, it is our nation and a nation can only boast of being healthy if its doctors are “healthy”, he said.

Afolabi said that ideally, the number of doctors in Nigeria was far below the standard of the World Health Organisation, which is why many doctors are being overworked.

“We have had instances where doctors, after work, collapse with cardiac arrest and die,” he said.

He appealed to government to look towards employment of more doctors, and making their welfare paramount. (NAN)