The Federal Government has engaged with Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora with a view to tapping from their wealth of experience to solve the challenges facing the healthcare system back home.
On Saturday, February 24,2024, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa, interacted with no fewer than 344 professionals mainly from the Diaspora – US, Canada, UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia via Online Zoom.
Dr. Alausa assured Nigerians in the Diaspora of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to improving healthcare in Nigeria and securing better systems for future generations.
The meeting highlighted particular challenges facing the healthcare system in Nigeria; including strengthening primary care, ensuring equitable access, affordable healthcare, improving infrastructure in hospitals, staff training and retention, well-being of professionals, adequate remuneration, funding for research, provision of diagnostic scans, flight of talent, GDP allocations for health, regulation, technology transfer, medical education and so much more.
There are also proposals to double the enrolment of medical and nursing students given the increasing population, static number of doctors produced with a projected 338,000 doctors deficit.
In the same vein, meetings are being held with Provosts of Medical Colleges and innovative plans to achieve the issues raised.
However, concerns were raised about the required infrastructure, accommodation, funding and staffing to maintain the quality of training. Lagos State will pilot a model arrangement for upscaling.
The Minister gave reassurances of the government’s commitment to tackling these issues systematically and in collaboration. There are a number of positive initiatives which will hopefully bear fruit in the coming years with our collective efforts, he said.
He also reassured everyone regarding the J1 visa issue that there were no restrictions placed on persons applying and that due diligence to ensure individuals met the requirements were being done.
Meanwhile, special committees to execute set goals have been put in place – Health Research, Ethics, Research and Innovation etc and powered by high-profile experts in the diaspora to harness our potential.
To Ensure smooth interaction, a Special Adviser on Diaspora Health Affairs has been appointed. He’s Dr. Bayo Adedewe (COMUI 1987), who will be liaising with the diaspora on all health matters and facilitate the required collaboration.
The meeting therefore, outlined a four-point agenda as listed below:
1. Improve healthcare governance
2. Improve population outcomes – invest in infrastructure and facilities
3. Unlocking the healthcare value chain – diagnostics, vaccine production, technology
4. Health as part of social and national security
Interestingly, all the participants are encouraged to engage with all committees to make their unique contributions.
Dr Oladejo Olaleye, Consultant ENT / Head & Neck / Robotic Surgeon, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, UK, in his words, “We thanked the Honourable Minister for his time and positive step of holding an interactive session with the diaspora and look forward to many more collaborative working. Together we will improve our healthcare services in Nigeria.”
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