Doctors in Kaduna State have urged Governor-elect Nasir El-Rufai to address shortage of medical doctors in the state.
Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Dr. Muhammed S. Ibrahim, regretted that despite the poor health indices in Nigeria, there were many unemployed doctors roaming the street for jobs.
The NMA chairman urged the governor-elect to organise the Health services in the state to serve the public better.
He said: “Despite the poor health indices in Nigeria, we still have many unemployed doctors who are going about looking for jobs. These doctors can be attracted by putting in place competitive working conditions and welfare. Once these medical practitioners are attracted, the health care services will have to be strengthened within the state, thereby improving the indices.
“This, in the long run, will be more profitable than importing doctors who are not familiar with the health problems in Nigeria and who will need to be paid a higher cost. It will also help to accelerate the accreditation of Kaduna State University’s Medical School. If this is done, it means Kaduna State will be among the first Northern states to produce its own doctors.”
The NMA chairman called for the upgrade of Barau Dikko Hospital into a teaching hospital.
He noted that it would be cheaper to train medical students at the teaching hospital than sending them abroad to study Medicine.
Ibrahim said: “Sending them abroad is capital-intensive, and when they graduate, they will still have to write an examination with the Medical and Dental Council in Nigeria before they can be licensed to practise in Nigeria. We will also need to put in place systems that will attract medical doctors and specialists after putting in place the building.
“Our expectation is to have a new dawn in the Health sector of Kaduna State. We agree with the vision of the governor-elect because it will help provide better policies and better healthcare services for the people of the state.”