Nigerians have jumped into the conversation as to whether Nigeria has enough medical doctors or not.
The Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Chris Ngige kick started the conversation when he said in an interview on Channels Television that Nigeria had more than enough doctors and could therefore afford some of them leaving to other countries.
Speaking on Channels’ Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, he said: “Who said we don’t have enough doctors? We have more than enough. You can quote me. There is nothing wrong in them travelling out. When they go abroad, they earn money and send them back home here. Yes, we have foreign exchange earnings from them and not just oil.” He added.
Below are some reactions from Nigerians:
“How Chris Ngige- one of the most respected governors in S.East Nigeria suddenly became a source of ridicule in this govt has to be the single biggest mystery of governance!
From saying minumum wage is enough for a family of 4…. now doctors can leave Nigeria (Surplus doctors)” – @monye_morris
“There is a kind of infection in APC that turns every smart human to a full blown Idiot. Chris Ngige use to be a very smart Governor. Whatever happened must be really acidic.
Now I see what happened to Raji Fashola and the dude from ExxonMobil, Kachukwu.” @achebebarclays
“Chris Ngige just spoke like a normal Igbo man in Alaba or Auto parts market that sees nothing wrong in the country as long as his containers are cleared.
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What a waste! Buhari should do better in the second term!” – @AOJ_Jesse
“Seriously I can’t really blame ogah Chris Ngige, his boss who is the number one man of this country is a medical tourist who doesn’t believe in medical practitioners based in Nigeria..
So you see my friend Ngigie is just a branch of the tree, Buhari is the root.”- @Ody_Johnson
“Chris Ngige: 5 Issues.
1. Is the labour minister- a medical doctor- ignorant of the stark realities in Nigeria’s medical field?
2. Prof Adewole- the health minister- once advised medical doctors to take to farming & tailoring, is there more to this than meets the eye?
3. @MBuhari travels abroad periodically for medical attention, why is the president not receiving his treatment here if we have “surplus” doctors as Chris Ngige claimed?
4. Thousands of Nigerians die annually over inability to access competent medical personnel to offer emergency medical services. Does it not smack of insensitivity for Ngige to have suggested that the govt does not care if doctors stay or leave?
5. Shouldn’t Ngige & the govt he serves be concerned that young Nigerians abandon medical practice for menial jobs abroad?” – @rootstvnigeria
“Chris ngige doesn’t care what comes out of his mouth, it’s obvious he doesn’t know the ratio of doctors available to millions of Nigerians. If he gets sick he can fly abroad for treatment.
Wole soyinka say’s his generation has failed Nigerians, he wasn’t wrong.” – @iampryde
“What type of arrogance is this? We have enough doctors? Is that why your boss, President @Mbuhari, spent 1 year and 39 days abroad, including over 6 months in a UK clinic? This government is a punishment on the Nigerian people #FreeLeahSharibu #RenosDarts” – @RenoOmokri
