The House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora said on Tuesday that about 77 per cent of members of associations of black doctors practising in the United States of America were Nigerians.

The committee expressed the desire to partner with the Federal Ministry of Health to find ways of bringing a good number of the medical professionals back home to assist in transforming the country’s health care system.

Members of the committee, which is headed by Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had met with the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, in Abuja where they discussed the need to encourage some of the doctors to return home.

The ministry recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigerian health professionals in the Diaspora and opened a Diaspora Unit to coordinate relations between the health practitioners and the ministry.

Dabiri-Erewa told the minister that Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora were always willing to render assistance but observed that the hindrance had been lack of coordination.

“In the US alone, about 77 per cent of black doctors in associations are Nigerians; they are willing to come back home and assist in various ways to develop our health sector.

“So, it is the thinking of this committee that there is a lot we can do to get these doctors to partner with their colleagues back home in the interest of our health care system.

“We have many challenges in our health sector where their services will be useful, most times at no cost,” she added.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that Nigeria could borrow a leaf from India, where Indian doctors in the Disapora had been drafted home through a carefully planned programme, which made practising at home “more attractive” than going abroad.

She stated that due to quality of health services offered in India, it had become the destination of about 25, 000 patients from Nigeria annually in search of medical care.

“Over 25, 000 Nigerians travel to India every year for medical treatment, which could easily have been provided here.

“We can change the trend if we encourage our doctors in the Diaspora to come home,” she said.

However, a member of the committee, Mr. Bimbo Daramola, observed that one of the challenges that must be addressed urgently in the health sector was the provision of infrastructure.

The minister informed the committee that the ministry was engaging all categories of health workers residing outside the country in discussions, using the Diaspora Unit.

He disclosed that the responses received so far were favourable, as they had expressed the desire to come home and establish hospitals.

According to Chukwu, the ministry is more interested in medical professionals with specialised skills in surgery, renal cases and other fields requiring special training.

He said the idea would be to bring home medical experts who could establish centres to handle the cases that account for why Nigerians travel abroad for medical treatment.


SOURCE: http://www.punchng.com/health/77-of-black-doctors-in-us-are-nigerians-reps-committee/

IMHO, I consider the "77% US black docs are Nigerians" doctor figure to be faulty and quite exaggerated considering the number of black doctors which includes black Americans, other Africans and other black nationals in the U.S, does it mean that for every 300 black US doctors, 231 are Nigerians? How did Madam Abike come about her figures?

She may have found out through a request for details from the Association of Black doctors.
Good idea on paper.
The real problems here are many, how much will they be willing to pay these doctors in Nigeria?Will they be paying them more than they pay those back home slaving away in their motherland? what on earth are they going to work with, what equipments are in place to make them function properly? Is there enough power supply to ensure work continues without glitches?I really dont think it should be a government program to take doctors back home.
If the environment is attractive enough people will normally gravitate back home.
A serious government will set the stage and attact and encourage its own.
Unfortunately i don't see that happening with this government.

I dont know if the numbers is as high as 77%. And do her figures include doctors trained overseas?

How would a western trained doctor cope with the nigerian situation?

tpia@:

I dont know if the numbers is as high as 77%. And do her figures include doctors trained overseas?

How would a western trained doctor cope with the nigerian situation?

And that is the biggest question!

Just provide 24 Hours electricity and see complete transformation of all sectors of nigeria economy (Medical inclusive). Anything short of that na exercise in futility.

Demain_man:

Just provide 24 Hours electricity and see complete transformation of all sectors of nigeria economy (Medical inclusive). Anything short of that na exercise in futility.

You've said it all. I go dash u my sis.

boko_halal:

IMHO, I consider the "77% US black docs are Nigerians" doctor figure to be faulty and quite exaggerated considering the number of black doctors which includes black Americans, other Africans and other black nationals in the U.S, does it mean that for every 300 black US doctors, 231 are Nigerians? How did Madam Abike come about her figures?

Don't mind her,though she is not d only one,dey just pick up a figure& throw it about.Ask her how she arrived @d 77% & she won't b able to tell u.Dat figure is dfinitely on d high side,no mata d criteria used

It so happens that there are more Nigerian doctors than their African American counterpart. What a lie.

The problem is not whether 77% of black doctors are nigerians but rather: What is the Nigerian Governement, thru the Ministry of Health, doing to improve the Healthcare delivery in Nigeria??

Nigerian Hospitals are nothing short of a death trap (sorry to say). Which is why anytime any nigerian who has money is seriously ill, they fly to india, US or UK (as their money reach). As for the politicians, even a common cold, and they are flying to europe for treatment.

They should focus on fixing the problems at home first, let the nigerian doctors abroad decide whether or not it would be worth coming back.

By the way, is it in a country ridiculed with corruption and insecurity (thanks to Boko harams) that would be more attractive to these us based doctors, who are used to a civil and functioning society.?!

talking nonsense, its not possible

If she had said 77% of Black Doctors in US are Ibos, some people will affirm it

Could be slip of tongue, she meant to say 7%!

The figure to me seems exergeratted. Regardless of the numbers, does he think any of them would be willing to come back with the state of the nation? People who have the best of gadgets, live in communities where everything works, good road networks amongst others would now leave their comfort to come back to Nigeria E go hard small ooooo because, so many things go need be fixed in Nigeria like: Electricity, Traffic Situation, Road Network, Security, Health care technology would need to be improved amongst others. Is the government willing to spend money to improve health care My Pastor for instance is a Doctor and each time he talks about Nigeria, himself or his family cannot come back I can bet. The 3kids now tell everyone they also want to study Medicine and they have only visited Nigeria not more than 3times though their father visits like once in 2-3years at least according to the son.

if she said 77% of doctors in  New York, New Jersey, Mary Land , Atlanta  were Nigerians  - I would accept that.

Where on earth did she get that figure? As usual, if there's nothing to say, just say something and the house will seat, deliberate and set up house committees to investigate the authenticity of her claims, then set up a sub-committee to embark on an all-expenses paid trip to the US to confirm if it is true, and then set up an adhoc committee to review the report brought by the US committee, and then throw it to the house for further deliberations. In fact, i'm tired jo!

When there's nothing to say, just say something and we shall deliberate on.

why do they always feel the need to encourage people to come home instead of  encouraging the people in Nigeria to stay put. diaspora ni diaspora ko!!!

was about to say the figure was exaggerated but can see that others are already doing that
pure statistical lie

Madam Dabiri, should tell her colleagues to stop stealing and use our money to do those things that they are actually meant for.

Nigerians don't want to suffer that's why we try our best to excel in our fields of choice, coming back home is not an option for most of Nigerians in Diaspora. Let the BASIC necessities of life be fixed and you will see guys trooping down without being told. Who doesn't want to work 8am-4pm as its the case in Naija??

The problem with Nigeria includes and are not limited to the following;

1. Free. .  This has bastardized every sector that it has been used in. Free Education led to the demise of the Education sector. Free (subsidized) Petrol has led to the demise of the refineries. . .  now Free Healthcare as well has produced its own yawa. .  

2. Health centres replacing Hospitals. . . This practice was a measure used by the government to decieve the people now all our medical facilities are just glorified health centres. .  

3. Poor Education system. .  This has led to the upsurge in poorly trained Doctors, Physicians, Nurses and Pharmacists all over the country.

4. Facilities. .  Its a shame that the whole of Nigeria as a country of 150million citizens cant boast of up to 50 MRI, CT Scanners and other high tech devices used in mordern medicene today. .  

5. No good Health policies. .


Solution. .

This system of Healthcare centres have got to stop. I'm not saying do not build healthcare centres, but for every 10 Healthcare centre, there should be atleast one worldclass clinic, and for every 20 clinics, there should be one Worldclass Hospital. Each clinic should have basic diagonistic tools such as X-ray machines, thermometers and basic tools for first aid.

The Hospitals should be of the Standard we see in the Grey's Anatomy and House. Those are what our teaching Hospitals should look like.

Now, Healthcare is not cheap so when I hear free healthcare, you can imagine what you would get. Its high time Nigerians start embracing the idea of INSURANCE. Every Nigerian should have some kind of Health insurance policy that covers a certain degree of ailments. .  Even Healthcare isnt free in the Americas. If we have these worldclass centers charging top dollar for treatments and the insurance companies living up to the task, things would be fine. .  I wonder if a healthcare center can diagonose cancer.  

Awoof dey run belle. .

Come home and do what.   Come and operate under candle light  - what a joke , what is typical salary of doctor in Nigeria.  

5 years plus Nigerian doctors in the US and UK are pratically millionaires in the Nigerian context.

I think she got it wrong

7% of foreign doctors in America are Nigerians

I'd rather not spk-out now

Okija_juju:

The problem with Nigeria includes and are not limited to the following;

1. Free. .  This has bastardized every sector that it has been used in. Free Education led to the demise of the Education sector. Free (subsidized) Petrol has led to the demise of the refineries. . .  now Free Healthcare as well has produced its own yawa. .  

2. Health centres replacing Hospitals. . . This practice was a measure used by the government to decieve the people now all our medical facilities are just glorified health centres. .  

3. Poor Education system. .  This has led to the upsurge in poorly trained Doctors, Physicians, Nurses and Pharmacists all over the country.

4. Facilities. .  Its a shame that the whole of Nigeria as a country of 150million citizens cant boast of up to 50 MRI, CT Scanners and other high tech devices used in mordern medicene today. .  

5. No good Health policies. .


Solution. .

This system of Healthcare centres have got to stop. I'm not saying do not build healthcare centres, but for every 10 Healthcare centre, there should be atleast one worldclass clinic, and for every 20 clinics, there should be one Worldclass Hospital. Each clinic should have basic diagonistic tools such as X-ray machines, thermometers and basic tools for first aid.

The Hospitals should be of the Standard we see in the Grey's Anatomy and House. Those are what our teaching Hospitals should look like.

Now, Healthcare is not cheap so when I hear free healthcare, you can imagine what you would get. Its high time Nigerians start embracing the idea of INSURANCE. Every Nigerian should have some kind of Health insurance policy that covers a certain degree of ailments. .  Even Healthcare isnt free in the Americas. If we have these worldclass centers charging top dollar for treatments and the insurance companies living up to the task, things would be fine. .  I wonder if a healthcare center can diagonose cancer.  

Awoof dey run belle. .  

Is public education not free in the US from K - 12? Why is their education not bastardized? The challenge is that we are not doing things rightly as a nation. We should first fix the problem of corruption and then we can then fix the other challenges.

Perhaps she is referring to PhD holders

sounds like a big lie

Madame Abike,
I'll be joining them very soon.

Kadata:

Madame Abike,
I'll be joining them very soon.

Safe journey o jare!!

I†'s so easy-just release about N3b to contractors,A large tent will be constructed under a big tree iη no time. We know how we do our thing the naija way.

Funny she is only talking about the USA, when they are everywhere. Has she asked herself how many are in the UK and other countries. Silly people.

dayokanu:

I think she got it wrong

7% of foreign doctors in America are Nigerians

Don't be too sure, u could be surprised what u see in some places. I went to Vienna 4 a conference some months ago and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw our Naija doctors flexing.

GboyegaD:

The figure to me seems exergeratted. Regardless of the numbers, does he think any of them would be willing to come back with the state of the nation? People who have the best of gadgets, live in communities where everything works, good road networks amongst others would now leave their comfort to come back to Nigeria E go hard small ooooo because, so many things go need be fixed in Nigeria like: Electricity, Traffic Situation, Road Network, Security, Health care technology would need to be improved amongst others. Is the government willing to spend money to improve health care My Pastor for instance is a Doctor and each time he talks about Nigeria, himself or his family cannot come back I can bet. The 3kids now tell everyone they also want to study Medicine and they have only visited Nigeria not more than 3times though their father visits like once in 2-3years at least according to the son.

reindeer:

She may have found out through a request for details from the Association of Black doctors.
Good idea on paper.
The real problems here are many, how much will they be willing to pay these doctors in Nigeria?Will they be paying them more than they pay those back home slaving away in their motherland? what on earth are they going to work with, what equipments are in place to make them function properly? Is there enough power supply to ensure work continues without glitches?I really dont think it should be a government program to take doctors back home.
If the environment is attractive enough people will normally gravitate back home.
A serious government will set the stage and attact and encourage its own.
Unfortunately i don't see that happening with this government.

Problem is not how many doctors outside but what can the health system do for doctors that are dying 2 return home and implement their knowledge. Its a vicious system that we have in naija, health and education is always regarded as the most irrelevant. Even the countries budgets speaks 4 itself. Sorry but doctors would stay where they are till things improve and the health system becomes friendlier. But we all the a doctor friendly health system in Niaja is a pipe-dream.

Yeah I came across a journal that says out of those 77%, 68% are Igbos.