Borno state government entices doctors with ₦200million training allowance to discourage “Japa” syndrome

The Borno State Government has enticed medical doctors in the state with a lump sum of ₦200 million as allowances to support their residency training, as 150 of them to be beneficiaries, a measure targeted to discourage ‘Japa’ syndrome.

Penpushing reports that the Governor Babagana Zulum, made the announcement during a meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Maiduguri, aimed to equally elevate the quality of healthcare services in the state.

The Governor explained that under his new initiative, 50 medical Doctors employed by the state government will each receive ₦2 million, while over 100 Borno indigenes working in federal institutions are slated to receive ₦1 million each, adding that these allowances are in addition to their normal salaries and allowances.

Penpushing further reports that Zulum said the financial support is intended to provide Doctors with advanced clinical skills, practical experience, and specialised training, thereby contributing to the overall improvement of medical services in the region.

The Governor emphasised his administration’s commitment to healthcare service delivery, and appreciated the collaborative efforts of national health leaders in advancing healthcare services in Borno State.

Penpushing also reports that he assured that his administration is committed to improving residents’ healthcare and underscored the critical role that well-trained medical professionals play in ensuring quality healthcare delivery, and encouraged the leadership of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to work with the state government in improving the healthcare of residents.

The Governor highlighted his government’s planned interventions for the healthcare sector, including recruiting over 1,000 medical personnel, building doctors’ quarters and establishing a state university teaching hospital, as well as providing scholarships to medical students, adding that  his administration plans to allocate more than 15 per cent of its budget to healthcare and enhance primary healthcare facilities in Borno.

Penpushing reports that the President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Bala Audu in his reactions named the governor as a “champion for quality healthcare and the welfare of health workers, and commended his leadership

The President equally lauded Zulum and urged him to continue advocating for universal quality healthcare, and expressed appreciation to what he called the Governor’s notable achievements in healthcare infrastructure development and initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of healthcare workers.

Penpushing further reports that Audu highlighted a successful medical outreach programme initiated by Doctors from various specialities, which he said contributed to the advancement of healthcare services in the state.

Penpushing also reports that it is on record that Nigeria has been grappling with brain drain, as thousands of Nigerian health professionals, including Doctors, and other professionals leave the country yearly to seek greener pastures.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, recently disclosed that the country now has only 55,000 licensed Doctors as 16,000 Doctors left the country in the last five years and about 17,000 have been transferred.

Penpushing reports that Pate added that 67 per cent of Nigerian Doctors who migrate go to practice in the United Kingdom, however, to manage the mass exodus of the country’s health workforce, President Bola Tinubu approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration last week.

The Coordinating Minister announced that the policy is a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health workers’ migration, adding that the policy will also encourage the return of professionals to Nigeria through attractive incentives and reintegrate them into the nation’s health system.

Penpushing further reports that the record, however, has it that “Japa” is a Nigerian slang used to describe the act of professionals leaving Nigeria to seek better opportunities and living conditions abroad, while the country has lost thousands of health workers annually to the Japa syndrome.

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