Exciton:


I have no qualms with jumping ship due to abysmal pay. However, I'm tired of the numerous dishonest stories on Twitter about why they're quitting because of equipment.

They are mainly leaving because there's an international demand for those in their profession and the pay is good.

I get your point. But infrastructure is also a reason too. You know, I mean holistically. During one of my classes, one of our lecturers told us a story that involved one man like that who invited him over on Sunday. The point I want to make from this story is that the Man was given an MRI machine by the university, just for himself to do his research, at Baylor College of Medicine. This is a machine that I don't think we have up to 20 in the whole of Nigeria, and someone is using it as his personal toy (this was just the exact sentence the lecture used to describe it). For me, it is the poor renumeration and poor working environment/conditions that affects me directly that I am kicking against. Do you know that if you catch Hepatitis B or Ebola in a teaching hospital, do you know it is 5k that is reserved for that? When a even the immunization for Hepatitis B would cost you nothing less than 80-100k?

polymaths:
They better stay and enjoy their minimum wage, because that abroad they will go back to class again, white men don't have trust in our medical practitioners, they will have to train you. For abroad Nigerian doctors are nurses . Only identification of medical instruments alone will fail them , because most of them will be seeing some instruments for the first. I don't even like Nigerian doctors at all, you will see in them that they went for the career because of money not because of passion to save life.

Hahahahaha, iti akwu. Just Google 'Nigerian doctors in Texas' alone. Nigerians doctors are doing well for themselves in the US. Have you forgotten the surgery that was carried out on a child still in the womb, that was conducted by a Nigerian? Stop being sentimental and apply your energy towards bettering yourself instead of attacking doctors. Nobody attacked you, why attack them? Rubbish

Pidgin2:


Nigerian doctors are failures. Greedy lot with no empathy. Most of them run their private clinics besides working for government, they refer patients to their own clinics because of greed and wickedness. They reap where they didn't sow, even in their private clinics they won't treat patients without funds, wicked souls with no empathy for humanity

What have their associations done towards making healthcare better besides asking for increased salaries? All failures, not heroes.

Valid point, However, it is not Doctors that will regulate themselves....It is the MDCN. In the UK, it is the GMC and they have codes and ethic guidance to safe-guard the patients and also Doctors....Almost like what NAFDAC is doing for drugs or what EFCC is doing for finance....AS sloppy as they are proving efficient, You'll see that, it is not really the job of Doctors to regulate themselves or even if it is, not the working ones...lol, dunno if am making sense. Anyway, i dunno how the Oyinbos do, but they have an org called GMC that safe-guard patients

A lot of mis-directed energy.
At the end, its just about Nigerian citizens who want a better career or a better life, and being a nurse or doctor grants you easy access to enjoy a western life! If u r not a doctor and just hating....u can actually get a nursing job abroad and salary is not too wide apart...lol

A real tragedy that should set the Federal Government on edge!

Falzdbadtguy:


Valid point, However, it is not Doctors that will regulate themselves....It is the MDCN. In the UK, it is the GMC and they have codes and ethic guidance to safe-guard the patients and also Doctors....Almost like what NAFDAC is doing for drugs or what EFCC is doing for finance....AS sloppy as they are proving efficient, You'll see that, it is not really the job of Doctors to regulate themselves or even if it is, not the working ones...lol, dunno if am making sense. Anyway, i dunno how the Oyinbos do, but they have an org called GMC that safe-guard patients

You made a lot of sense, thanks for being objective

ElPhoche:

I get your point. But infrastructure is also a reason too. You know, I mean holistically. During one of my classes, one of our lecturers told us a story that involved one man like that who invited him over on Sunday. The point I want to make from this story is that the Man was given an MRI machine by the university, just for himself to do his research, at Baylor College of Medicine. This is a machine that I don't think we have up to 20 in the whole of Nigeria, and someone is using it as his personal toy (this was just the exact sentence the lecture used to describe it). For me, it is the poor renumeration and poor working environment/conditions that affects me directly that I am kicking against. Do you know that if you catch Hepatitis B or Ebola in a teaching hospital, do you know it is 5k that is reserved for that? When a even the immunization for Hepatitis B would cost you nothing less than 80-100k?

What are you doctors doing for Nigerian citizens? We have doctors without borders, UN, and other international organizations contributing to the welfare of ordinary citizens without expecting funds from Nigeria, so do we have a group of Nigerian doctors under a particular organization giving of themselves to fellow citizens in need, why are you people so money minded, is this what the medical field is all about? Money money money. No wonder average citizens detest you lot.

Every job has its risk, you are taught how to minimize the likelihood of being infected in case of exposure yet they still pay you for it, who pays a carpenter who mistakenly saws his hand off? Always so selfish in reasoning.

Cuteamigo1:

good ridance. many are already waiting to fill in.

Exactly, it's time we call their bluff, they don't care about us anyway, why should we bother about their welfare? To hell with them jor

Exciton:


Don't mind them. Read the rest of the thread, it's obvious that their pay is the major reason. They act like they're the only ones being paid poorly.

I agree with you, everyone keeps asking for more money but no one comes up with solutions.

Everything about them is money money money, its a shame that Nigerian doctors are not taught to have reguard for human life[i][/i]

Pidgin2:


How does this affect you? Go and make your money and never return, Nigeria will not be destroyed without your presence

return ke,.. A failed system.where SARS will delay you on the way to deliver the wife of an army colonel ,when kata kata burst, SARS go seek your head as if na you ask them to delay you in the first place, abeg make I practise in peace and not fear.

Pidgin2:


Exactly, it's time we call their bluff, they don't care about us anyway, why should we bother about their welfare? To hell with them jor

u come carry d matter for head since and u said u aren't bothered ,leave us alone na ,is it ur going?

Cuteamigo1:

good ridance. many are already waiting to fill in.

which many are u talking about, or are u referring to those still in medical school, stay there, am still a student and almost 95% of my classmate are sharing usmle + exam info and longing to finish med school in time so they can jet out too,
almost all mobile doctor in nigeria are ready to leave except those that are held down by not passing exam or family ishh or finacial stuff.

even those that aren't going will be overworked now and will b tempted to resign to there private clinic coz the pay ll b better and organized than govt clinic

ure not even helping matter here, instead for u to support the movement or give a better advise and urge govt to hear doctors demand so many can calm down and stay back, ure here showing off for people who have better alternative else where,

like u just think 6yrs of mental stress is joke, u wont understand, just take a work to any med school and see how medic are trained with zero sympathy ,

the fact is doctors don't care as they already know society is jealous and harsh with them and against there progress, society only become gentle wen. they lay on d sick bed in the mercy of God and doctor ..that's y they too feel unconcern abt d collapsing system.

if a doctor make mistake , u guys will be the first to shout quackery outside there , u think doctors are not aware, stay there.

Pidgin2:


What are you doctors doing for Nigerian citizens? We have doctors without borders, UN, and other international organizations contributing to the welfare of ordinary citizens without expecting funds from Nigeria, so do we have a group of Nigerian doctors under a particular organization giving of themselves to fellow citizens in need, why are you people so money minded, is this what the medical field is all about? Money money money. No wonder average citizens detest you lot.

Every job has its risk, you are taught how to minimize the likelihood of being infected in case of exposure yet they still pay you for it, who pays a carpenter who mistakenly saws his hand off? Always so selfish in reasoning.

Your analogy of a carpenter is absolute trash. Lemme tell you, do you know the countless times I have donated blood for my patients right from student days (FYI, I am a voluntary and regular blood donor), how many times I have had to help pay for a patient drugs or investigations? You breath trash from your high moral throne and think that I/we don't go out of our way to help people. Even if some don't, I do. I have countless patients that I have treated who still contact me uptill today, to just greet.
I bet you, if an Ebola person enters your street, you would not come outside for one month, but we were expected to work without a good protective kit during the Lassa fever. We were given just an just facemasks AND WE WORKED. I watched a colleague die right in my face of Lassa, and you are there telling me rubbish about a Carpenter sawing off his hand. How about that the supposed HAZARD ALLOWANCE IS NOT ENOUGH TO BUY ME A SHOT OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN ORDER TO PROTECT MYSELF WHILE I WORK. It would take approximately 1 year of hazard fee to purchase a single shot of the vaccine which is not enough, while a lecture in the university earns a hazard of at least 30k/month to protect him from what I can't fathom as I type this. I can only speak for myself and my profession. Everyone should bear his or her own burden.
You stand there and talk rubbish. Is it when I die and after having put my life on the line for so long that you would be happy? Do you think I don't have parents, brothers and sister and relatives who depend on me?
Lemme tell you, HUMANITARIAN duty does not put food on the table, neither does it pay for your children's school fees.
I go out of my way to ensure that I render my best to people who I have been privileged to attend to, but don't think at the end of the day, that I don't have needs to meet.
Anyway, I don't expect that the solution of this whole thing is with you, but as you guys continue to attack and villify us, I have absolutely no apologies for the steps I take, or the advice I give to my younger ones.

Pidgin2:


Everything about them is money money money, its a shame that Nigerian doctors are not taught to have reguard for human life[i][/i]

I don't know why you've been ranting here. Take it or leave it, the profession is indisputably inevitable. Ur resentment is just uncalled for. Do u know how much d senators are making on sitting down, debating and opposing?
Diseases are either infectious or noninfectious. Noninfectious can be through accident, malnutrition, all these categories of diseases can be prevented if there are good roads, proper living standards, which our leaders are to provide.
I am not a medical student, but a final yr student(animal science) and believe me m nursing my dreams to jet out of this country during NYSC for Msc and better standard of living.
Ur bitterness towards these guys might be as a result of loosing a loved one through them. If this is true, m sorry for ur loss. if not congrats. I lost a loved one at UCH sometimes ago. The Doc in charge is a young bright man. He tried everything but no proper diagnosis at d right time, and d way d system works in d hospital doesn't guarantee quick treatment. They are not God, but they do their best to save patients, even though it might not be easy, and in conducive procedure. Saving is 50:50, and d percentage of ppl that are being saved/treated in d hospitals is still high. If u make it out of d sickness, thank ur God.
Imagine ppl dying of snake bite, cos of scarcity of anti venom drugs in d society. Is it d Doc that will buy such drugs for d govt, or he will suck out d venom with mouth out if the patients blood stream?
please stop being ridiculous, and let's face reality.
lastly, I know of friends studying Vet medicine, I know how challenging and exhausting it is to study d course. conversely, d pay abroad is much more better than Nigeria. how much more should medicine be?
Docs in d house, I hail u oo jare...
My family Doc(young and bright) told me he knows how much his colleagues (resident docs) in Canada, US etc while he is here making peanuts.
If ur jealousy won't make u see things d way dey truly are, Abeg go do jamb, apply to UI for medicine..
I drop my pen here

ElPhoche:

Your analogy of a carpenter is absolute trash. Lemme tell you, do you know the countless times I have donated blood for my patients right from student days (FYI, I am a voluntary and regular blood donor), how many times I have had to help pay for a patient drugs or investigations? You breath trash from your high moral throne and think that I/we don't go out of our way to help people. Even if some don't, I do. I have countless patients that I have treated who still contact me uptill today, to just greet.
I bet you, if an Ebola person enters your street, you would not come outside for one month, but we were expected to work without a good protective kit during the Lassa fever. We were given just an just facemasks AND WE WORKED. I watched a colleague die right in my face of Lassa, and you are there telling me rubbish about a Carpenter sawing off his hand. You stand there and talk rubbish. Is it when I die and after having put my life on the line for so long that you would be happy? Do you think I don't have parents, brothers and sister and relatives who depend on me?
Lemme tell you, HUMANITARIAN duty does not put food on the table, neither does it pay for your children's school fees.
I go out of my way to ensure that I render my best to people who I have been privileged to attend to, but don't think at the end of the day, that I don't have needs to meet.

Chairman, leave these guys o jare. That was how one guy was arguing on a thread that living as a bank manager in Nigeria is better than doing menial jobs in US. People just bring out crazily insane topics this days. They think its only money they've gone abroad to earn. what about d serene environment, availability of basic amenities, economic stability, security. etc

Pidgin2:


What are you doctors doing for Nigerian citizens? We have doctors without borders, UN, and other international organizations contributing to the welfare of ordinary citizens without expecting funds from Nigeria, so do we have a group of Nigerian doctors under a particular organization giving of themselves to fellow citizens in need, why are you people so money minded, is this what the medical field is all about? Money money money. No wonder average citizens detest you lot.

Every job has its risk, you are taught how to minimize the likelihood of being infected in case of exposure yet they still pay you for it, who pays a carpenter who mistakenly saws his hand off? Always so selfish in reasoning.

Madam, I've been reading through the thread. I think most of your posts are simply misguided, ignorant or outrightly re*tarded.


What of Nigerian doctors working here in Nigeria that organize rural outreaches regularly, both Christian and Muslim doctors associations, and even secular associations, going as far as free surgeries running into hundreds?? The fact that you don't seem to know these things exist, and even happen regularly, buttresses your blatant ignorance about the things you talk about.


In fact,
Most doctors give almost on a daily basis to their patients, almost every single day in Nigeria.
From paying from their own pockets for drugs and tests for poor patients in government hospitals, to donating blood for their patients sometimes, (I've seen the above 2 scenarios happen countless times especially in Paediatrics), .........to those in private hospitals actually treating patients and patients recovering and refusing to pay or absconding through the window (have also seen this several times).
You only hear news of doctors not treating patients until they make some payments, but you never hear of the very many cases where doctors treated people for free and were never paid....basically lost their money, time and efforts, cos it doesn't make sweet gist and is not carried by news channels.

Heck, even just working in this kind of environment everyday with a terrible government, totally dilapidated infrastructure, ungrateful and unappreciative patients and an almost microscopic salary is more than enough "giving" by any doctor working in this environment.


I honestly think you should educate yourself further.
No offence intended.

OlaEkundayo:


Maybe because I'm kinda new here I have not experienced that. I see people who take risks every day without the right equipment sometimes without their payment.


Everything I use I had to bring in because there was none available. When they tried to provide it was always sub standard. I could not use it.

If you have a different experience I'd be glad if you could share it with me just to get a sense of what goes on and why you see them as failures.

I'll advise u not to quote this person. Please open her page and see all her threads and comments. These prove that she's a failure in life and can't wait to see others wallow in similar situations. Dont waste your time.
As for those bashing doctors, pls don't, when they leave the country, more spaces open up for your beloved relatives to study medicine and risk their lives and future working in Nigeria. Dont be foolish, these ppl get opportunities to help themselves and their families by travelling abroad. "We won't miss them"?? Just wait and see. We will remind you when you start complaining.
Ppl of other professions complaining, open your own thread and stop feeling inferior to the doctors as usual.

i feel the need to say this upon the realisation that the system isnt fear to doctors and patients. In retrospect of all that i have said in this thread, i would like to offer an apology to all the doctors in the house and the country in general and also say thank you for your service. for those of you who think leavin the country is the best way to reach the pinacle of your career, i say goodluck on that and for those who choose to remain here i pray the system becomes more fair to you.

ElPhoche:

Your analogy of a carpenter is absolute trash. Lemme tell you, do you know the countless times I have donated blood for my patients right from student days (FYI, I am a voluntary and regular blood donor), how many times I have had to help pay for a patient drugs or investigations? You breath trash from your high moral throne and think that I/we don't go out of our way to help people. Even if some don't, I do. I have countless patients that I have treated who still contact me uptill today, to just greet.
I bet you, if an Ebola person enters your street, you would not come outside for one month, but we were expected to work without a good protective kit during the Lassa fever. We were given just an just facemasks AND WE WORKED. I watched a colleague die right in my face of Lassa, and you are there telling me rubbish about a Carpenter sawing off his hand. How about that the supposed HAZARD ALLOWANCE IS NOT ENOUGH TO BUY ME A SHOT OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN ORDER TO PROTECT MYSELF WHILE I WORK. It would take approximately 1 year of hazard fee to purchase a single shot of the vaccine which is not enough, while a lecture in the university earns a hazard of at least 30k/month to protect him from what I can't fathom as I type this. I can only speak for myself and my profession. Everyone should bear his or her own burden.
You stand there and talk rubbish. Is it when I die and after having put my life on the line for so long that you would be happy? Do you think I don't have parents, brothers and sister and relatives who depend on me?
Lemme tell you, HUMANITARIAN duty does not put food on the table, neither does it pay for your children's school fees.
I go out of my way to ensure that I render my best to people who I have been privileged to attend to, but don't think at the end of the day, that I don't have needs to meet.
Anyway, I don't expect that the solution of this whole thing is with you, but as you guys continue to attack and villify us, I have absolutely no apologies for the steps I take, or the advice I give to my younger ones.

You've said it all.
Double thumbs up!!

Cuteamigo1:
i feel the need to say this upon the realisation that the system isnt fear to doctors and patients. In retrospect of all that i have said in this thread, i would like to offer an apology to all the doctors in the house and the country in general and also say thank you for your service. for those of you who think leavin the country is the best way to reach the pinacle of your career, i say goodluck on that and for those who choose to remain here i pray the system becomes more fair to you.

Thanks for being man enough to acknowledge your prior misconceptions, its not everyone that can publicly accept their errors.
We earnestly hope things do get better in Nigeria for the sake of everyone.... doctors and the general populace.

Realdeals:
Well, abandoning the same institution that trains you with the insufficient facilities you're complaining about is not really fair.

and not just that, the cost of studying medicine in this country is among the lowest in the world. It has been subsidized by the government. But it is frustrating when u work in a place that lacks basic facilities; watching a patient die because oxygen is not available; a patient goes into cardiac arrest and defibrillators are no where to be found. It is heartbreaking. Even if you want to manage, in a matter of time your perseverance will reach its limits, when u project intobthe future and realise that nothing will change anytime soon, infact, it's gonna get worse.

The problems here are 1. Expectation as the top notch in the community 2. Comparison with the richest western capitalist countries but not the poor ones or the socialist countries.

I cannot but notice the guy that commented that doctors that leave are heavily subsidized in Nigeria, then compare themselves with those with debilitating loans and high standard of living barely living the good life with high mortgages and private schools.

In countries like Sweden and Switzerland where high income is taxed to a level playing field, or Cuba, Russia and others where more women are doctors and admission into medical schools are not based on lineage or who you know. None of you mentioned those countries for obvious reason.

In short your main concern is money. What about engineering and other scientific studies where brains are equally demanded?

Why are they not crying so loud? You talk about equipment, make yours and stop depending on ready-made. You have the largest laboratories and equipment in the bush you ignore and refuse posting to. Foreign doctors use them to teach their students and patent discoveries in their countries.

Ebola was diagnosed in a small town called Ede in a new university called Redeem. Hello, how much is Prof. Christian Happi paid?

Sincere congratulations to old and young doctors that come back home, or qualified in Nigeria and worked under gruesome conditions, in some case no electricity or generators and other worse conditions in the villages. Many of those that left spend the rest of their lives seating for regional exams.

Nigeria must stop training doctors for rich countries where most of them are underemployed but would not confess.

We must change curriculum to train doctors that will be useful at home like China, Russia and Cuba. Yet, their doctors get Nobel prize.

googi:
The problems here are 1. Expectation as the top notch in the community 2. Comparison with the richest western capitalist countries but not the poor ones or the socialist countries.

I cannot but notice the guy that commented that doctors that leave are heavily subsidized in Nigeria, then compare themselves with those with debilitating loans and high standard of living barely living the good life with high mortgages and private schools.

In countries like Sweden and Switzerland where high income is taxed to a level playing field, or Cuba, Russia and others where more women are doctors and admission into medical schools are not based on lineage or who you know. None of you mentioned those countries for obvious reason.

In short your main concern is money. What about engineering and other scientific studies where brains are equally demanded?

Why are they not crying so loud? You talk about equipment, make yours and stop depending on ready-made. You have the largest laboratories and equipment in the bush you ignore and refuse posting to. Foreign doctors use them to teach their students and patent discoveries in their countries.

Ebola was diagnosed in a small town called Ede in a new university called Redeem. Hello, how much is Prof. Christian Happi paid?

Sincere congratulations to old and young doctors that come back home, or qualified in Nigeria and worked under gruesome conditions, in some case no electricity or generators and other worse conditions in the villages. Many of those that left spend the rest of their lives seating for regional exams.

Nigeria must stop training doctors for rich countries where most of them are underemployed but would not confess.

We must change curriculum to train doctors that will be useful at home like China, Russia and Cuba. Yet, their doctors get Nobel prize.

Sorry I don't mean to be rude, but there is very little sense in your post.
For instance, a doctor who has no functional x-ray should make his own ?
A professor of medicine earns far less than a million naira a month after 3 decades of study; there are engineers and bankers who earn that within 5 years of graduation. There are doctors who earn 70,000 per month.
Perhaps next you will be calling lecturers unpatriotic for going on strike .
You term the conditions of work 'gruesome' but you see no need to change or leave.
It is not about being mercenary. It is about a decent standard of living. What don't you get about that ? Not everyone can passively tolerate the decadence in the system in the way you advocate.

Direct your energy towards criticism of your irresponsible government and leaders.

googi:
The problems here are 1. Expectation as the top notch in the community 2. Comparison with the richest western capitalist countries but not the poor ones or the socialist countries.

I cannot but notice the guy that commented that doctors that leave are heavily subsidized in Nigeria, then compare themselves with those with debilitating loans and high standard of living barely living the good life with high mortgages and private schools.

In countries like Sweden and Switzerland where high income is taxed to a level playing field, or Cuba, Russia and others where more women are doctors and admission into medical schools are not based on lineage or who you know. None of you mentioned those countries for obvious reason.

In short your main concern is money. What about engineering and other scientific studies where brains are equally demanded?

Why are they not crying so loud? You talk about equipment, make yours and stop depending on ready-made. You have the largest laboratories and equipment in the bush you ignore and refuse posting to. Foreign doctors use them to teach their students and patent discoveries in their countries.

Ebola was diagnosed in a small town called Ede in a new university called Redeem. Hello, how much is Prof. Christian Happi paid?

Sincere congratulations to old and young doctors that come back home, or qualified in Nigeria and worked under gruesome conditions, in some case no electricity or generators and other worse conditions in the villages. Many of those that left spend the rest of their lives seating for regional exams.

Nigeria must stop training doctors for rich countries where most of them are underemployed but would not confess.

We must change curriculum to train doctors that will be useful at home like China, Russia and Cuba. Yet, their doctors get Nobel prize.

You have said it all. It's time to change things, as it is, we are simply training for the West. Imagine this scenario; our doctors pay less than 10% of what American doctors pay to get trained through our Universities yet they all want to earn as much as doctors earn, working in one of the most robust economies in the world

It's time for change, Cuba has done it, China, India and many more. If our medical school curriculum focuses largely on training for tropical diseases, emphasis should also be given to diseases peculiar to the black race and development of herbal medicines, it will help a lot and also make our doctors less attractive to the West. Those who want to broaden their scope can go and pay for Western education and work there afterwards.

Thank you for that curriculum comment.

Every comment here recognized the inhospitable environment every worker no matter his educational background found himself. It is nothing to glorify.

Some have issues with those students that have benefited most and were subsidized most from the adverse system- running away with our investment.

I have to tell this story. One of the Nigerian trained doctors came for postgraduate course. When he told the class that he could not even get clean water to wash his hands after operations, I was so ashamed, I did not know when I disputed his story in class.

Though I realized he could be telling the truth. He was told he needed to go back home and fix the problem. Coming back home, I knew it was not going to be easy. But the recognition, respect and pride at home cannot be compared to the disdain you get abroad, even if you become the President of United States.

If Prof. Happi was waiting for readymade equipment from abroad, instead of modifying what he had to come up with novel method, he would not have diagnosed Ebola in 48 hours.

That is how we complained about how expensive tractors, chicken feed and wheat were until some thought about trytor, modified old fashion way of feeding chicken and sold it as import, used cassava in bread before the public accepted it.

My friend is crying about Xray. Nobody could find out or make Xray out of old machine but a guy in Kaduna can make helicopter from scrap yard?

Pidgin2:


You have said it all. It's time to change things, as it is, we are simply training for the West. Imagine this scenario; our doctors pay less than 10% of what American doctors pay to get trained through our Universities yet they all want to earn as much as doctors earn, working in one of the most robust economies in the world

It's time for change, Cuba has done it, China, India and many more. If our medical school curriculum focuses largely on training for tropical diseases, emphasis should also be given to diseases peculiar to the black race and development of herbal medicines, it will help a lot and also make our doctors less attractive to the West. Those who want to broaden their scope can go and pay for Western education and work there afterwards.

googi:
Thank you for that curriculum comment.

Every comment here recognized the inhospitable environment every worker no matter his educational background found himself. It is nothing to glorify.

Some have issues with those students that have benefited most and were subsidized most from the adverse system- running away with our investment.

I have to tell this story. One of the Nigerian trained doctors came for postgraduate course. When he told the class that he could not even get clean water to wash his hands after operations, I was so ashamed, I did not know when I disputed his story in class.

Though I realized he could be telling the truth. He was told he needed to go back home and fix the problem. Coming back home, I knew it was not going to be easy. But the recognition, respect and pride at home cannot be compared to the disdain you get abroad, even if you become the President of United States.

If Prof. Happi was waiting for readymade equipment from abroad, instead of modifying what he had to come up with novel method, he would not have diagnosed Ebola in 48 hours.

That is how we complained about how expensive tractors, chicken feed and wheat were until some thought about trytor, modified old fashion way of feeding chicken and sold it as import, used cassava in bread before the public accepted it.

My friend is crying about Xray. Nobody could find out or make Xray out of old machine but a guy in Kaduna can make helicopter from scrap yard?

God bless you doctor, you shall grow from strength to strength, respect sir.

googi:
Thank you for that curriculum comment.

Every comment here recognized the inhospitable environment every worker no matter his educational background found himself. It is nothing to glorify.

Some have issues with those students that have benefited most and were subsidized most from the adverse system- running away with our investment.

I have to tell this story. One of the Nigerian trained doctors came for postgraduate course. When he told the class that he could not even get clean water to wash his hands after operations, I was so ashamed, I did not know when I disputed his story in class.

Though I realized he could be telling the truth. He was told he needed to go back home and fix the problem. Coming back home, I knew it was not going to be easy. But the recognition, respect and pride at home cannot be compared to the disdain you get abroad, even if you become the President of United States.

If Prof. Happi was waiting for readymade equipment from abroad, instead of modifying what he had to come up with novel method, he would not have diagnosed Ebola in 48 hours.

That is how we complained about how expensive tractors, chicken feed and wheat were until some thought about trytor, modified old fashion way of feeding chicken and sold it as import, used cassava in bread before the public accepted it.

My friend is crying about Xray. Nobody could find out or make Xray out of old machine but a guy in Kaduna can make helicopter from scrap yard?

As an Internal Medicine & Infectious Disease Specialist who came in from the US I am privy to a few things and some of these assertions are unfair. Prof Happi has a working relationship with the Harvard School of Public Health. That's what facilitated the diagnosis you are referring to.

Cuba and India have some of the best X-ray and MRI machines in the world. Those machines are not made in those countries. Those countries advanced in healthcare because they invested heavily in infrastructure. The analogy of comparing high-level diagnosis with chicken feed is incongruous.

While everyone is trying to go the other way I came back. I believe in Nigeria & I believe this is the time to do something. I have been creating partnerships with the Infectious Disease Society of America and trying to improve the quality of our manpower and equipment. I can't tell you how much I have lost in revenue but I am in a place in my life where I don't seek to make a living but to make a difference.

Even the powers that be all agree with me that we need to do a lot more to improve infrastructure.

Nigeria does not have a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory (BSL3). We are trying to change that now with help from our partners. How can you do proper research? Would you believe there is a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory in Gabon? Are people aware that we still send samples abroad for diagnosis?

Someone said doctors are taught how to protect themselves so they don't need hazard allowance. When there is no water on the wards of one of the biggest teaching hospitals in Nigeria? Do you know the level of Multi Drug Resistant Organisms that have been isolated in hospitals? When the doctor gets unwell where is the insurance? What structures are in place for his/her well being?

It's easy to bash people. Yes there are bad doctors. To say that because there a bad doctors then all the doctors in Nigeria do nothing is grossly inappropriate. Is it only doctors who want to leave? I am bombarded by nurses & radiographers as well. Are they bad too?

Let's direct our anger at the real problem. A system that makes people prefer to perish in the ocean while trying to cross into Europe rather than stay at home.

ElPhoche:
I am a doctor. I left Nigeria on the 18th of September, for greener pastures. After my exams, and when I am done completing my training, it is bye bye to Nigeria. Not after suffering and sacrificing would I come back to earn a pittance. Do you know that a 12 months house officer's salary cannot buy a new Toyota Camry.
I have finally decided to relieve myself of the blackmail that Medicine is a calling. �����
Omo, for Kaplan here we I deh study for the USMLEs, after the South Americans, nah Naija guys full here.
If you are a doctor reading this, do quick and cut out of Nigeria. Nigeria does not pay. Nigerians do not appreciate you. Nairaland typists would always be quick to bash you. Even if it is Sudan, go. Till Nigeria is brought to it's knees by the dearth of doctors, till they invest seriously in the health sector; infrastructure wise and renumeration-wise. For now, the government is not serious.
If you see hospitals here, omo, just Texas Children Hospital is bigger than Transcorp Hilton. Make I no talk now.

My worry nah just my mumsy, dad and other family in Naija. Issorite
.

Hello please can I contact you, i need more info on kaplan, I would like to know how the process works,as am also trying to migrate to write the usmle.
Thank you

ElPhoche:

Hahahaha, so you no know the guy we you mention deh UK? Abeg, to hell with the emotional blackmail. Why don't you become a doctor and stay in Nigeria? You would understand it then when you are offered a 60k job and told to stay put in that hospital 24/7/365 when a teacher who pockets similar goes to a 8-4pm job, and have a life outside her work place, while you after having not done anything in the last 7 years of your life, are still expected to not have a life again, especially at a pittance. Abeg, lemme not just talk. . .

Spot on,
Sadly alot of Nigerians are hypocrites
We are fast to cast blame on people,
They blame doctors and want them to suffer in nigeria, while if they are giving the opportunity of leaving they too will elope without thinking twice

Ola Ekundayo,

Again, nobody here glorified lack of infrastructure.

I do not want to argue too much about Pro. Happi especially when a nurse and a doctor died over Ebola.

But to take credit away from Happi and give it to Harvard School of Public Health is the complex Africans have been fighting forever.

Indeed, HSPH sent staff to Ede for training. It was kind of embarrassing when at Contagion Conference at Harvard his name was mentioned, I asked the speaker later to spell his name for me.

He pointed to an humble black man and said - ask him.

I asked if he was from LUTH because it was Lagos that disciplined Ebola. He said Ede.

What? Which university? Redeem!

Yes, of course Harvard now supports him after he had proved Nigerians can handle it and knew what to do. He had already diagnosed Ebola when international bodies arrived in Nigeria. When he stated this on the second day of the conference, he got a big applause led by yours truly.

Look let me stop.

BTW, Happi is originally from Cameron.

Pidgin2:


Exactly, it's time we call their bluff, they don't care about us anyway, why should we bother about their welfare? To hell with them jor