Former Presidential Aspirant, Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese has slammed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige over his claim that Nigeria has excess doctors.
Ikubese, a medical practitioner based in Akure, the Ondo State capital in a statement emphasized that the minister is not in tune with the happenings in the medical profession as he has for years quit practicing.
Ikubese who is also the convener of the, “Yes We Fit” Revolutionary Movement stressed that such comment by a member of the country’s Federal Executive Council, FEC, leaves one to wonder where the future of the country lies.
During the week, when asked if he was concerned about the brain drain in the medical sector in the country on Channels Television’s programme, Ngige had stated that he is not bothered that medical doctors are leaving Nigeria in droves, saying that the nation has a surplus of them and must therefore “export” to other countries.
According to Ikubese in the statement, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s Oct 2018 publication, stated that of the 72,000 nationally-registered Nigerian doctors, only 35,000 are practicing in Nigeria.
“The World Health Organisation stated that, for optimal healthcare to be achieved, a nation needs one doctor to 600 patients, i.e Doctor/Patient ratio of 1:600.
“In Nigeria, we have 35,000 doctors taking care of 200 million people, i.e Doctor/Patient ratio of 1:6,000.
“So, Nigeria is about 10 times short of the WHO recommended Doctor/Patient ratio!
“Where then did Dr Ngige get his statistics from, that Nigeria has “surplus” of doctors?
He added, “that Dr Ngige himself is a Medical Doctor (I’m careful not to use the word “Medical Practitioner”, because I don’t know when last he practiced Medicine) makes his utterance herein most unfortunate!”
According to him, “when those who should know are “not aware”, where then lies the hope for our redemption?”
“Let it be known, that Nigeria is in short supply of doctors, ten times below the recommendation of the World Health Organisation!” Ikubese stated.
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