Zamfara, Nigeria
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the government of Nigeria to prioritise the right work conditions for medical professionals to remain in the country and not migrate overseas.
Obasanjo said medical personnel, including doctors and nurses trained in Nigeria, deserve incentives to motivate them to work.
The former president stated this on Tuesday in Zamfara State when he commissioned the renovated and rehabilitated Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital.
He expressed concern over the migration trend popularly known as ‘Japa’, which sees many Nigerian youths leaving the country in large numbers in search of better economic opportunities and job security in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and other regions.
The octogenarian emphasized that it is not sufficient for governments at the federal, state, and local levels to merely construct health centres; they must also ensure these facilities are properly equipped and that healthcare workers are adequately compensated to encourage their commitment.
Obasanjo also praised Lawal for the renovation of the hospital, “especially when many Nigerians who have been trained as medical personnel are japaing – which is going out of the country to look for better conditions. But how do you hold them here without giving them a bit of incentive? You have to.
“We need all the personnel that we can have because our hospitals have to deliver. You need the right environment, and that is the refurbishing and the renovation, but you need the right equipment, and then you need the personnel.
“I am happy that you have brought them all together, and let us make good use of them.”
