The federal government has stated that health experts who return to the country after migrating will be readily reabsorbed.
He urged medical practitioners to be more patriotic to their country by shunning migration.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa stated this while delivering his address at the 11th Induction and Oath-taking Ceremony of foreign graduates of Medical Laboratory Science by MLSCN, in Abuja.
Alausa tasked health practitioners to be patriotic about their country, insisting that “all hands must be on deck to ensure a better narrative and outcome for the health sector. “
He said, “The exodus of health professionals in search of so-called greener pastures has led to a significant shortage of personnel required for the growth of the health sector.
“I also commend you for actualizing the part of your statutory mandate, which requires you to determine from time to time the standard of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become medical laboratory scientists. Policies do not drive themselves, but require the political will of those concerned for effective implementation.
“Based on recent data, we have about 300,000 health professionals attending to the healthcare needs of over 200 million people.
This is grossly inadequate and puts enormous pressure on the available workforce. Thus, in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders, including MLSCN, the federal government is taking the necessary steps to improve and stabilize the health sector. This includes ensuring that experts willing to return to the country are seamlessly reabsorbed.
“In that regard, I am pleased that you are about to induct 396 young medical laboratory science graduates into the profession. While the number may not be adequate to fill the existing gaps, I encourage the inductees to be ready to contribute their quota toward repositioning the health sector. As young Nigerians in whose hands the future of the health sector lies, you must imbibe the spirit of patriotism and always place the interest of the patients above material gains.