Former governor of Delta state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, a medical doctor, has encouraged Nigerians and his ‘hippocratic brothers’ to reject the passage of a bill seeking to make it compulsory for young medical students to serve Nigeria for five years before being granted full medical license to practice, labeling it, “evil and vindictive”.
Dr. Uduaghan said this on Thursday at the 45th AGM and International Scientific Conference of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) with the theme: CRISIS IN THE GLOBAL HEALTHCARE MANPOWER: LOCAL IMPLICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS”
Dr. Uduaghan, who was honored with an honorary patron of the ANPMP for his giant strides in the health sector while he was commissioner and governor of Delta state, stated that the proposed Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which has scaled second reading at the floor of the House of Representatives should not be allowed to become law as the bill is inimical to the progress of doctors whose parents and sponsors had invested heavily in their education.
He said: “Every doctor sitting here and indeed all Nigerians should oppose the proposed bill. It is a very evil and vindictive plot against doctors.”
The mass exodus of doctors to foreign climes, especially to the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and few Arabian countries has further worsened the precarious situation in the health sector in Nigeria.
It is an unprecedented brain drain that had never been witnessed in the history of the country. But Dr. Uduaghan proffered what he described as simple solution to the situation.
“I don’t believe the way out is tying down our doctors. Rather, serious and special efforts should be made to attract our doctors to remote areas of our country in need of doctors and the remuneration should be attractive.”
The former governor pledged to appear before the committee on health when a public hearing is called for the bill. He encouraged every doctor to oppose it vehemently.
