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FG unveils plans to bring back 12,400 japa doctors

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FG unveils plans to bring back 12,400 japa doctors

FG unveils plans to bring back 12,400 japa doctors

 

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to address the continued exodus of Nigerian doctors abroad.

The policy, announced by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, on his X handle on Tuesday, aims to woo an estimated 12,400 Nigerian-trained doctors practising abroad

According to Pate, who also appeared on Channels TV on Tuesday evening,  67 per cent of Nigerian-trained doctors are practising in the United Kingdom alone.

“The recruitment countries, that recruit our professionals, should they not have some responsibilities to help us expand the training? Because the strain of health workers’ migration is continuous; it’s not going to stop tomorrow.

 

“the UK will need Nigerian doctors; 67 per cent of our doctors go to the United Kingdom and 25 per cent of the NHIS workforce is Nigerian.

“Nigerians are very vibrant, very entrepreneurial, and very capable wherever they are. If Nigerians hold back from the UK, for instance, the NHS will struggle to provide the services that many Nigerians are going there to get,” the minister said.

Pate said the policy signed by the President was more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals but a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health workers’ migration.

 

 

While health workers believed the policy might be positive, they demanded the details and implementation plan.

Announcing the policy on Tuesday, the health minister said, ”This afternoon, HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT, in-council, approved a landmark policy set to transform healthcare human resource management in Nigeria.

“The National Policy on Health Workforce Migration addresses the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s health human resources. As the AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, Mr President’s commitment to a resilient and robust healthcare system is powerfully reflected in this forward-looking policy.

“This policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals; it’s a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration. It envisions a thriving workforce that is well-supported, adequately rewarded, and optimally utilised to meet the healthcare needs of all Nigerians.”

Many Nigerian healthcare workers leave the country for greener pastures, leaving their colleagues to contend with additional workload and extended call hours.

The push factors, according to them, are inadequate equipment,  worsening insecurity, poor working conditions, and poor salary structure.

The minister noted that central to this vision was the Nigeria Human Health Resource Programme, which sets a framework for regular reviews of working conditions, ensuring that health workers, especially in rural and underserved areas, receive the recognition and rewards they deserve.

 

 

“By fostering an environment conducive to professional growth and stability, the policy aims to retain top talent within Nigeria.

“In an increasingly digital world, integrating advanced health technologies is essential. The policy’s focus on digital health infrastructure—including electronic medical records, telehealth, and a comprehensive health workforce registry—marks a significant step towards a more efficient, data-driven health system. These innovations will streamline healthcare delivery and enhance the equitable distribution of health workers, ensuring access to quality care for all Nigerians.

“Capacity building is at the heart of this policy. It recognises the importance of continuous professional development, with strategic partnerships and opportunities for international training to equip our healthcare professionals with cutting-edge skills. This investment in human capital underscores our commitment to retaining and empowering our healthcare workforce,” he stated.

He added that the policy addressed the return and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals from the Diaspora.

The minister said by establishing streamlined registration processes and providing attractive incentives, the policy would not only encourage the return of talented professionals but also actively reintegrate them into the health system.

“This approach leverages the expertise of our Diaspora to bridge gaps within the health sector. Also, the policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria. These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of our healthcare professionals. We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.

“Recognising the importance of work-life balance, the policy includes provisions for routine health checks, mental well-being support, and reasonable working hours, especially for younger doctors. These measures aim to create a supportive work environment, reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction.

 

 

“The governance of this policy will be overseen by the National Human Resources for Health Programme within @Fmohnigeria, in collaboration with state governments. This ensures responsible implementation and alignment with broader sector-wide health objectives.

“With this decisive action, the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is set to secure the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system. Under Mr President’s leadership, this policy will further catalyse the transformation of our health sector, ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians.

“As we embark on this journey, all stakeholders are invited to contribute to building a healthcare system that reflects our nation’s potential and promise,” Pate said.

Explaining the policy further, the Senior Adviser, Media and External Relations, Tashikalmah Hallah, said the government was negotiating with countries where Nigerian healthcare workers migrate to to help Nigeria improve health training facilities.

 

 

 

“We are talking to those countries that our health workers are going to, to see if they can now help Nigeria to improve provisions of some of the facilities that will enable Nigeria to train more health workers.

“The Federal Government has expanded our admission quota and improved on these medical institutions, so they are now encouraging all these countries where our health workers go, to assist us in maintaining these health institutions.”

Hallah said the implementation of the policy takes effect immediately.

 

 

“It’s a policy, it was adopted by the Federal Executive Council yesterday (Monday). So, it is immediate, and it has been approved. So, it’s a Nigerian government policy. This is a policy binding on healthcare workers.

He emphasised that the FG has established a policy allowing healthcare workers to travel abroad for training and then return to apply their new knowledge.

“Currently, there is a request by Qatar for 10 medical doctors to go there to study, especially in oncology. So, immediately after the training, they are coming back to the country,” he said.

 

 

 

 

he President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, Prof Muhammad Muhammad, said the policy looks more theoretical than real.

Muhammad also called for the details of the policy for a better understanding.

“The issue is that we need to see the detail, it’s not just the English that matters. People bring a lot of policies on the ground, very well drafted and crafted, but execution is usually a problem. It might be difficult to say we are fully in support or otherwise if we have not seen the document.

“I have planned to check on the Ministry of Health, maybe tomorrow (today), to see if we can get the document and look at it. They mentioned certain things that we have been advocating – the welfare of doctors, improvement of the work environment, and retraining, but how they are going to do it needs to be spelled out in the document.

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DNA: Medical errors, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and baby exchange, among others responsible For Paternity Errors

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DNA: Medical errors, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and baby exchange, among others responsoble For Paternity Errors

DNA: Medical errors, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and baby exchange, among others responsible For Paternity Errors

 

 

Following recent DNA reports about paternity discrepancies, psychologists have linked  paternity fraud, where children do not belong to their supposed fathers to medical errors, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and baby exchange, among others

The mental health experts noted that several variables could lead to a situation where a child’s paternity was questioned, beyond the common blame on infidelity.

According to them, factors such as negligence, ignorance, and genetic testing errors could also contribute to this phenomenon.

They spoke exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise amid growing concern about paternity fraud, with increasing reports revealing that many children have been falsely attributed to men who are not their biological fathers.

 

 

In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed a disturbing trend of paternity fraud, where children are discovered not to belong to their supposed fathers.

This phenomenon has left many families in shock, with some marriages ending in divorce due to the discovery.

While infidelity is often linked to the primary cause of paternity fraud, psychologists, however, said there could be other factors at play.

 

Speaking with our correspondent, the experts said there was a need for couples to explore all options available before jumping to conclusions that the women cheated in the relationship.

While identifying the lack of pre-marital genetic testing as one of the factors that could be responsible, the mental health experts noted that prospective parents overlook the importance of comprehensive genetic screening, which could reveal potential issues before marriage.

 

They stressed that ignorance or negligence in this area might contribute to unexpected outcomes later in life.

 

A clinical psychologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr Juliet Ottoh stressed the importance of exploring multiple factors before jumping to conclusions about infidelity.

Ottoh noted that while infidelity is often presumed to be the primary cause of paternal discrepancies, other significant factors could play a role.

She said these include the negligence of medical staff, inaccuracies in genetic testing, and even hospital errors such as baby exchanges.

Ottoh emphasised the necessity of thorough investigation, including verifying the results of genetic tests through reputable labs before making any assumptions about paternal identity.

 

“It is not always entirely the couple’s fault. Sometimes, it might just be a result of test errors, ignorance, or negligence. We’ve heard stories of babies being exchanged in hospitals due to negligence, leading to paternity issues,” she stated.

She further said, “There are a lot of factors that may be responsible for this. And that is why you must explore extensively to look at out for what are some of these factors.

“Sometimes, it is not entirely the couple’s fault, it might just be as a result of test, ignorance. In recent times, how many people still go to do genetic tests before marriage? Also, some of these genetic tests are queried.

“So, it is not entirely to say that one person is responsible for all these. Sometimes it is negligence. We have heard stories of where a lot of babies were born in the same hospitals and out of negligence, some of the babies were exchanged and they became a problem for their parents.

“We cannot entirely say it is infidelity that is the cause of all these paternal fraud cases. Before you label a situation, you must take a lot of detailed history to understand where the problem is coming from.

“For me, I will say you just ensure you go to the right lab. As it is, you can even try to get a second opinion from another good lab to ascertain your genotype before you venture into marriage.  If you have all of those sorted, then we can begin to query the other options. The most important thing you just get tested and confirm your genotype from a reputable lab.

“There are a lot of implications in marriages when these things come out. Partners need to be patient and understand what the problems truly are. If they understand that, they would be able to amend amicably.”

The psychologist stressed that genetic testing was crucial in such situations but advised couples to seek second opinions from reputable labs to confirm their genotypes before marriage.

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HEALTH AWARENESS ALERT BY OGSG

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HEALTH AWARENESS ALERT BY OGSG

HEALTH AWARENESS ALERT BY OGSG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahara Weekly Reports That There is an Outbreak of Cholera (Aarun òní gbá méjì) in the Ijebu North Local Government area of Ogun State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HEALTH AWARENESS ALERT BY OGSG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cholera is known to occur during raining seasons and may also be associated with poor environment and personal hygiene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It commonly present with stooling with or without vomiting leading to dehydration. Cholera can result to death if the severe dehydration is not promtly corrected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We implore all citizens of Ogun state to;

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Please Report all cases of Stooling with or without vomiting to the nearest government health facility and notify the LGA DSNO (08069788449).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Ensure proper personal and environmental hygiene. Citizens should wash their hand frequently (before and after using the toilet or eating).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Use water from clean sources, treat water before use and boil before drinking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Wash and cook food thoroughly before eating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Prevent open defecation

Please be careful of the food and water you take, because cholera is caused by water or food contaminated with faeces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for your Support and Cooperation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This message is from the Ogun State Ministry of Health

 

Signed: Dr Tomi Coker

Special Adviser to the Governor on Health.

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