By Abimbola Ogunnaike
As part of the efforts to address the shortage manpower shortages across the FG-owned health institutions, the Federal Government has disclosed that plans are underway to employ at least 52,000 nurses before the end of this year.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this known on Saturday, 9 March, 2024 during his visit to the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Alausa, who admitted the challenge of manpower shortages the FG-owned health institutions are currently facing, said President Bola Tinubu administration is not blind on the Japa effect in the Nigerian health sector.
“The government is not unmindful of the Japa effect on our manpower in the health sector and the President has ordered for massive production of manpower such that when people go, there will always be replacement.
“It is against this background that we are working intensely on the enrolment of our nurses. What used to be 28,000 is now 68,000 and our intention is to take it to 120,000 by the end of the year, so there will always be abundant skilled manpower to take over from those leaving the job.
“We have equally doubled our enrolment for doctors, dentistry, pharmacists among others
“Again, we didn’t say anyone who wants to move or japa to the UK or Australia to take up appointments there should not go, it is a free world.”
The Minister continued, “However, you cannot eat your cake and have it. If you are going, just resign your appointments with the Federal Government, rather than applying for leave of absence, that is the Presidential executive order that has been communicated to all the Chief Medical Directors of Federal Government-owned health facilities to implement.
Responding to some of the demands of the hospital such as increased funding, infrastructural development, among other welfare packages, Alausa said that the ministry would leave no stone unturned to do all that is necessary to improve the fortunes of the health sector in the country.
Speaking earlier, the Provost and Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Paul Agboola, lauded the Minister for his selflessness and passion to turn things around for good in the health sector.
The CMD said that as a result of the approval given by the Minister, his administration had started projects such as the Institute of Psychiatric for the hospital which had been in the pipeline for about 40 years, amongst others.
