President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Public Health Matters, Salma Anas, disclosed concerns over the increasing exodus of health workers seeking opportunities abroad.
Anas addressed this issue at the 2023 annual conference of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists in Abuja, themed ‘Universal health coverage: The medical laboratories priority in Nigeria.’
Anas emphasized Tinubu’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s health sector, expressing worry about the ‘japa syndrome’ inherited from previous administrations.
The government aims to reverse this trend through interventions, focusing on sustaining and retaining medical experts within the country
. Anas outlined efforts, including regular payment of salaries, allowances, and creating conducive working environments, along with the provision of state-of-the-art medical facilities, especially at the primary healthcare level.
Additionally, Anas stated that the government is actively working towards producing more health workers across various fields.
The National President of the Association of Medical Laboratory of Nigeria, Bassey Bassey, highlighted collaborative efforts to combat quackery in the health sector.
The association, in partnership with other stakeholders, has successfully shut down unregistered laboratories to reduce incorrect diagnoses and illegal activities in the country.
