Nigeria’s Public Office Holders Killing Health Sector With Unfriendly Policies – Expert
A renowned medical expert, Dr. Michael Oladipo, has blamed both the federal and state governments for the mass exodus of Nigerian medical doctors and other health professionals to foreign countries, citing unfriendly and selfish policies as the cause.
Dr. Oladipo, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER in Ibadan, said the country’s health system is collapsing due to the insensitivity of public office holders who have refused to address the challenges confronting the sector.
According to him, “You can’t blame doctors for leaving Nigeria when they cannot feed well, pay their children’s school fees or afford decent accommodation. The few who remain here would also leave if they get the opportunity. The system has failed them.”
The medical practitioner lamented that poor salaries, lack of medical equipment and deplorable hospital conditions have discouraged professionals from staying in the country.
“The political office holders know what to do; they are only pretending. If the environment is conducive, our doctors won’t be migrating abroad. Many of those abroad had no choice but to leave for survival,” he added.
He urged government at all levels to make the health sector a priority, warning that Nigeria risks total collapse of its medical workforce if urgent reforms are not implemented.
Ade Adeloye, a seasoned journalist, is the Oyo State Correspondent for Osun Defender Newspaper. He holds degrees in History from EKSU, a PGD in Journalism from NIJ, and an MSc in Mass Communication from Lead City University.
