Posted on: Mon 24-07-2023

President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Ojinmah Uche, has called on the Federal Government to privatise all the Tertiary Healthcare centres in the country for effective delivery.

According to him, this would help reduce mass migration of Doctors to foreign land.

Ojinmah made the call at the weekend in a paper titled, “Mass Emigration of Doctors & Other Healthcare Workers : The Origin, The Challenges & Solution” during opening ceremony of the Anambra State 2023 Nigerian Medical Association NMA general meeting/ scientific conference held in Awka, the state capital.

He said private health sector driven healthcare system with government support and enabling environment will over time stop brain drain and may even initiate brain gain in Nigeria.

He suggested, “51 % of shares be sold to core investors who become majority shareholders and in thus responsible for day to day running of the institutions, fixing of salary, hiring and firing and make sure it turn in profits after tax.

30% should be should be retained by the federal government so as to maintain some control as pertian to price and policy of the institutions thereby protecting the masses. This shall be sold to core investors after five years because should have been set and stable by then.

“19% of the shares should be sold to workers so as to strengthen their commitment to the institutions on which they now partly own and shall beside salaries earn as dividends as approved by annual general meeting of the stakeholders,”

He also called for healthcare Development Bank with single digits loan interest to facilitate the development of the health sector in the country.

According to him, the single digits loan shall have morotorium of five for repayment.

Ojinmah further suggested that the original verified degree certificates and certificate of indemnity from NMA shall serve as collateral for accessing the loans.

He also advised government to provide guidance on setting up multi specialist hospitals by doctors with special facility, targeting multi specialist centre.

According to him, Nigeria can no longer afford to sit idle by, while her brightest and best exited in droves as this leaves the health sector in tatters.

NMA president also called for the return of mandatory one year oversee clinical attachment as part of residency training programme.

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