Nigeria: MP Under Fire for 'Doctor Surplus' Remark

Nigeria's Minister of Labor and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has received backlash from several organizations over his comments on the country having a surplus of medical doctors.

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The organizations include the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP).

Ngige's comment was in response to a question regarding doctors who wished to relocate their practice abroad as there have been increased prospects for Nigerian doctors in other countries. The minister claimed that doctors leaving the country would grow the economy through remittances. 

"No, I am not worried," Ngige responded. "We have a surplus. If you have a surplus, you export."

Ngige was firm and confident in his response, saying, “Who says we don’t have enough doctors? We have more than enough. You can quote me. There is nothing wrong in them traveling out." Ngige also stated that he believes foreign training will benefit Nigerian doctors, especially those who then decide to open practices in their home country. 

NMA president Dr. Francis Faduyile and NARD president Dr. Sgun Olaopa say the MP's remarks do not adhere to the recommendations made by the World Health Organization on doctor-patient ratio. Faduyile pointed out that the recommendation is one to 600, while Nigeria currently has 40,000 doctors taking care of 200 million people.

According to a letter addressed to the minister by Ettu Mohammed, a medical doctor, it would take almost 100 years for Nigeria to bridge the gap between medical professionals and patients. Mohammed also blames a lack of government investment for the low number of doctors. This lack of funding has resulted in some doctors going 10 months without salary.

Faduyile added that the country should instead be encouraging medical personnel to remain in the country. Faduyile acknowledges that revenue may be generated by doctors sending money back home, but that it will come "at the expense of our people that are dying daily because of lack of facilities in the health sector to take care of simple ailments and complex ones like cancer."

Faduyile also pointed out that Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates worldwide, and in order to mediate the issue, they need their health professionals to stay in the country.

Olaopa agreed with his NMA counterpart, expressing that "such statement as this from handlers of the Federal Government makes you wonder if the government is truly committed to solving problems of inadequate manpower in the health sector."