REPS MOVE TO STOP MIGRATION OF NIGERIAN-TRAINED DOCTORS

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REPS MOVE TO STOP MIGRATION OF NIGERIAN-TRAINED DOCTORS

The House of Representatives commenced the amendment of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act to stop the migration of Nigerian-trained medical practitioners.

The amendment, sponsored by Ganiyu Johnson (APC, Lagos), is proposing that Nigerian-trained medical doctors must serve in the country for five years before they are given a full practising licence.

During the debate on the general principle of the bill on Thursday, Mr Johnson said it was only fair for medical practitioners, who enjoyed taxpayer subsidies on their training, to “give back to the society.”

Uzoma Abonta (PDP, Abia) spoke against the bill, saying it would infringe on the rights of doctors to move freely.

Mark Gbillah (LP, Benue) also spoke against the bill and called for better framing of the legislation.

“I want to suggest that we look at how to rework this bill in itself because as a professional myself I do not think you should be able to practice anything without your licence.

“A person in such a critical field as medicine, how would you give somebody a temporary licence or what would that imply? You would need a licence to be certified to practice. So the issue we are trying to cure is brain drain and that in itself, in my opinion…

“Do we try to restrict these people and infringe on their fundamental human right or apportion more resources to the medical profession,” he said.

Before putting the bill to question, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila said the proposed bill was not infringing on the rights of medical practitioners because section 45 of the 1999 Constitution allows the government to suspend certain rights due to certain conditions.

“Let me clear the issue of fundamental human rights that has been raised.

“If you go to section 45(1) of the Constitution, it actually allows you to deviate from your fundamental human rights under certain conditions.

“One of these conditions concerns public health. So if the government feels that to safeguard public health this restriction should be put then we have not violated anybody’s human rights,” he said.