While speaking at his investiture as the Chancellor of Gerar
University of Medical Sciences, Imope-Ijebu, Ogun state, Afolabi said this mass
migration of health professionals, especially doctors and nurses, out of
Nigeria known as ‘japa’ (mass migration) has negatively affected the country’s
health care delivery.
He said that the ugly trend must be frontally tackled by the
government and further noted that aside from the provision of modern equipment
and tools at public health facilities across the country to improve service
rendered, priority attention must also be devoted to the welfare of these
dispirited health professionals who are left in the country.
He said:
“Many of our competent medical hands have been lost to
countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia
among other developed economies where sufficient encouragement in terms of
remuneration, modern work tools, and a conducive working environment have been
provided to attract talents from all over the world.
“This migration by young Nigerians has negatively affected almost every sector of the country, but it is safe to conclude that the health sector has been the biggest victim of this japa syndrome. The few doctors, nurses, and other health professionals that are left in the country are overworked and grossly underpaid when compared to their counterparts globally.
“This has negatively impacted the quality of services
patients could access in our public health institutions. Our governments, at all levels, need to be
strategic and proactive in tackling this menace. Pay for health workers must be
improved while a conducive environment that will make them thrive and be
fulfilled professionally must be provided.”
Afolabi, who lauded the proprietor and management of the
specialized institution for their foresight in establishing the university at a
time the country needs to produce more quality health workers, said Gerar
University of Medical Sciences has the capacity to become a reference point and
a centre of excellence in medical education and research in the country.
Prof. Niyi Adetoro, the institution’s Vice Chancellor, said
the new university will leverage technology and innovation to drive its vision,
adding that the support of corporate organisations and public-spirited
individuals will be required to support the university’s ambitious vision,
which has necessitated an endowment fund of N500 million.