Chairperson of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has described the sack of over 16,000 Nigerian resident doctors by the Federal Government as ‘highly questionable’ on several fronts.
Dabiri-Erewa, who said this yesterday, in a press statement issued in Lagos, described the move as unjustifiable, especially at this time when the country was in dire need of the doctors’ services.
The lawmaker noted that although, it was understandable that the Federal Government may have disagreements with the striking doctors, but opting to sack all resident doctors given the present predicament was insensitive and inconsiderate.
Further in her statement, she said that the indefinite suspension of the residency programme also poses a threat to the development of the already ailing healthcare system in Nigeria.
“Resident doctors form a great part of the foundation upon which the medical practice in Nigeria is built,” she stated.
“They are the younger generation of doctors who are constantly understudying their superiors with a hope to replacing some of our renowned consultants in later years.
“The message being sent by the Federal Government to our youthful doctors is clear and simple: ‘we do not care about you or your profession. To us you are worthless.’
“This same message delivered in several other ways has caused tonnes of our doctors to continue to relocate to western countries.
“Their numbers have become so significant they have even formed associations in the United Kingdom and United States of America. For the sake our nation’s medical sector, this perception needs to be addressed promptly,” Dabiri-Erewa stressed.
