PEOPLES GAZETTE
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, says the proposed House of Representatives’ bill for a compulsory five-year post graduation practice for medical and dental graduates in the country is in order.
The amendment bill: “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, Cap. M379, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, is sponsored by Rep Ganiyu Johnson.
Parts of it reads: “It is to mandate any Nigeria-trained Medical or Dental Practitioner to Practice in Nigeria for a minimum of five years before being granted full licence by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
“It is to make quality health services available to Nigeria; and for Related Matters (HB.2130).”
The bill passed for second reading on April 6, amidst controversies from quarters who are arguing about the proposed bill’s propensity to impinge on the rights of medical and dental graduates.
Minister Ehanire, however, insists that the intention of the bill is good because it is talking about curbing brain drain of doctors.
“If I can read the mind of Johnson properly, he wants to be able to keep those who have studied here a bit longer for some time before they can be free to go.
“If you look at the fact that the fees we pay at our universities, definitely they do not make up for the cost of training.
“If you want to know what it costs to train a doctor, go to a private university and know what they pay for school fees.
“That is a benchmark of what it costs but in our public universities, we don’t pay anything near that.
“So, actually, it means that it is subsidised with taxpayers money because if the government allows you to get training for about one-tenth or one-twentieth of the cost of the private university, then it means it is subsidised.
“Therefore, I’m sure Ganiyu was thinking about those in that category who should also give back to the country, having received a classy education that is respected outside.
“This is because even the cost of training here is very small compared to school fees paid in foreign countries to become a doctor. I think this is the angle the representative was looking at the issue from.”
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