Vice President Kashim Shettima has made a heartfelt appeal to Nigerian doctors, urging them to remain in the country and support President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its mission to improve the nation.
Accordung to The PUNCH, he emphasized the importance of resisting the ‘japa syndrome’, where professionals leave Nigeria for opportunities abroad.
Shettima conveyed Tinubu’s empathy for those who chose to stay and serve domestically.
Shettima’s remarks came during a visit from the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Medical Association led by its newly elected President, Prof. Bala Audu, at the Presidential Villa.
In a statement released by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communication, Office of the Vice President, Shettima praised the doctors for their dedication to enhancing Nigeria’s health system.
He urged them to encourage young doctors to specialize in critical medical fields and to curb the activities of unqualified practitioners.
“President Bola Tinubu has Nigerian doctors at heart,” Shettima said. “He has a lot of empathy for our medical doctors who have opted to stay put at home, not for lack of offers. Let us stay back and salvage this nation together, this is our country, the greatest black nation on earth, and a promising nation that we need to invest in. The NMA is one of the most prestigious, preeminent associations in this country. We must commend you for the sacrifices you are making and for staying put in this nation. All hope is not lost because Nigerian doctors are making giant strides, recording milestones in the profession and, most importantly, making tremendous sacrifices to serve this nation.”
Audu, speaking for the NMA, expressed solidarity with the Tinubu administration, particularly praising its health sector policies.
He assured the Vice President that the NMA remains committed to supporting government health policies aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery and accessibility for all Nigerians.
“The Nigerian Medical Association has come here today as a partner to your government and a patriotic group of Nigerians dedicated to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda of this government and to ensure that this government delivers quality healthcare to all Nigerians.
“The NMA remains patriotic to this nation and will fully support the health policies of your government to drive improvement in quality healthcare delivery and universal access to services to all Nigerians. This committee will work closely with this government, in delivering and implementing the policies of the administration in the healthcare sector. The NMA wants to assure and reassure you that it will play a key role in ensuring stability in the health sector and by extension, stability for this government to deliver on its promises to Nigerians as it has already started doing,” Audu said.
He also highlighted the positive impact of Tinubu’s health policies, noting their potential to expand training opportunities for specialists and enhance the quality of postgraduate medical education.
“We are sure that this government will address the infrastructural needs to be able to sustain the quality of this training as well as the remuneration that will improve the wellbeing of Nigerian doctors to remain and serve in this country,” he added.
