Nigerian Minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire, has frowned at some Nigerian doctors planning to relocate to foreign countries like the United Kingdom (UK) to retrace their step as it would cost them their already scheduled hazard allowance.
The Minister stated this on Thursday in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
Ehanire said, there is no need for the Nigerian doctors to leave their home country to a foreign man’s land as the present administration is working hard to improve their welfare.
The Minister was reacting to the report that 58 Nigerian doctors were prevented from leaving Nigeria for the UK over visa-related issues; he expressed surprise saying the movement was not normal as many of them were without visas.
In his statement, “Now, this UK where they are going to, there’s no hazard allowance. They don’t give doctors a hazard allowance. You just get your salary, that’s all. I’ve spoken to doctors there and they said it’s part of their job, part of what they’re trained for.
“But here, apart from your salary, we still try to add something to it in the hope that we’re going to attract our people to stay,” Ehanire said.
He further explained though our doctors owe Nigeria nothing, out of share patriotism, it was important they bring the modern edge technology from abroad back home to improve on our healthcare system.
