The Federal Government’s national policy on health workforce migration to curb the growing trend of health professionals leaving the country, commonly referred to as ‘Japa’, is good, but it may not do much to address the fundamental problems of the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals in Nigeria, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Dr David Adewole, a public health expert, made this disclosure in the 19th Convocation lecture of the Oyo State College of Health Science and Technology, Eleyele, entitled “Stay or Go: Overcoming the Japa Syndrome and Building a Brighter Future for Nigeria’s Health Professionals” in Ibadan
Dr Adewole declared that, much as the policy may be good, its proper implementation and sustainability might be a challenge due to the government’s policy somersaults.
According to him, many of the push factors for health professionals emigrating to greener pastures, like insecurity, emolument and lack of basic amenities like potable water, health facilities, cost of living and constant electricity, persist.
He stated: “To make healthcare workers stay here, let the salaries be enough so that what you earn will be much more than the multiples of what you need for basic needs, like food, power supply, housing, and so forth.
“People still look at life after retirement. You might have a good policy, but its implementation is the issue. For example, you are retired, and for your retirement package, you don’t need to know anyone for it to be processed promptly.
“Then subsequently, your monthly pension, without pressing anybody, it should be paid. Those things are not here. And when you go to the hospital abroad, if you tell them that you are in a hurry, you go to your home; they’ll bring the medicines to your doorstep.”
Read Also: Atiku blasts Tinubu over France stay amid killings in Nigeria
According to him, reversing japa requires that the government and other employers address the challenges of lower pay, insecurity, basic infrastructure, post-retirement life, education, training and retraining, and a better workplace environment.
Provost of the OSCHST, Pharm Oluyemisi Oyewo, said the lecture is a key component of the convocation activities and serves as a reminder of the transformative potential of knowledge in influencing society and transforming people’s lives.
She said the convocation is not just a time of celebration for the graduating students and the entire college community but also an opportunity for the college to reaffirm its commitment to academic excellence, professional integrity and societal relevance.
“This convocation lecture, in particular, helps us to reflect critically on the roles we are to play in the development of the health sector, especially at this time when everyone in the health sector wants to japa and the national and international health systems are being put to the test in unprecedented ways,” she added.