On Thursday, 6th of April, 2023, the House of Representative passed the medical and dental practitioners act (amendment ) bill 2022 for the second reading.
The details of the bill titled “A BILL FOR AN ACT TO AMEND THE MEDICAL AND DENTAL PRACTITIONERS ACT . M 379...,” entails that the medical or dental practitioners prevented be from being granted full licenses until they have worked for the minimum of 5 years in their country.
The bill now awaits the president’s consent. if the bill is finally passed before the president’s retirement on May 29, graduates and practitioners of the earlier mentioned fields will have to compulsorily serve for 5 years before they can be granted full license.
The bill sparks mixed reaction from the populace especially those it concerns. Still the question remains; is the bill and its dictates a lasting solution to the brain drain syndrome that has pervaded Nigeria?
The bill can at best just be a temporary solution. The law makers have done well by trying to address this malady but they seem to ignore the big picture.
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The bill as a stop gap measure
The mandatory 5 years’ service is like administering a band aid to a terminal condition that’s needs immediate surgery.
Rather than force the practitioners to stay for a short period of time to augment for the lack of medical personnel, they should address the big elephant in the room.
The system should be made more attractive and hospitable that would make the greener pastures of beyond pale in comparison.
Nigeria currently is positively hazardous to any budding spirit of patriotism and the youth have taken the “Japa” approach as the only solution to getting better health care, better opportunities and a better standard of living.
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This bill in truth, might reduce the rate of medical practitioners leaving the country for a while; however, it does nothing for other professionals and skilled persons in other fields; our academia’s, engineers, lawyers or students to stop them from also leaving.
Making all recent graduate do a mandatory 5 years’ service before they are given their licenses or allowed to leave the country; will still be an inert solution as they will just tolerate or endure the five years while making plans to still leave the country.
It might create more problems as the phenomena of ghost workers and dispassionate doctors will be on the rise.
Another alternative
I propose that instead of the bill which is a kludge; let the lawmakers and government find better ways to make life a bit more bearable for the average Nigerian; medical practitioner or not. With a better standard of living even other countries professionals too will flock to Nigeria.