By Nifemi Adefemi
(With Agency Reports)
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have reacted strongly against the United Kingdom government’s code of practice restricting the recruitment of medical personnel and social care workers saying the move will not stop brain drain .
Nigeria is believed to have the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India, and Pakistan.
The UK at the weekend had stated that 54 countries, including Nigeria, were among those the World Health Organisation recognised as having most pressing health and care workforce-related challenges.
The UK restriction of medical personnel is also coming in the wake of a bill in the House of Representatives seeking to impose a five-year compulsory service on doctors as a condition to grant them full practice licence upon graduation.
Nigeria was graded red in the code and tagged as one of the countries not listed for recruitment by health and social care employers, unless there is a government-to-government agreement.
However, the NMA and NARD saw the UK code of practice, which listed Nigeria among 54 other countries where health workers should not be actively recruited in different ways.
NMA President, Dr Uche Ojinmah advised those seeking employment abroad to also look towards other countries including Canada, Saudi Arabia, USA, Germany, Qatar and Grenada .
NARD President, Dr Emeka Orji urged the Buhari administration to improve the working conditions of health workers and fund the health sector adequately if it desires to curb the migration of medical personnel.