A bill requiring Nigerian-trained medical and dental practitioners to practice in the country for at least five years before being granted a full license has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, sponsored by Ganiyu Johnson, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Lagos, seeks to amend the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act 2004, in order to address brain drain in Nigeria’s health sector.
If the bill is passed, medical and dental practitioners trained in the country will be required to practice for at least five years before being granted a full license.
Concerns have recently been raised about the relocation of many Nigerian healthcare workers to foreign countries, a development that has degraded the country’s health sector.
Johnson stated that it was only fair for medical doctors who received taxpayer subsidies for their education to give back to society.
He claimed that if they had worked in Nigeria for a certain number of years before leaving to practice abroad, the country would have benefited from their skills.
Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP-Abia) spoke out against the bill, claiming that it would “tie down” doctors in Nigeria for five years before they could seek employment in another country.
Mark Gbillah, a Benue lawmaker, said the bill should be reworked because it includes provisions that violate the fundamental human rights of Nigerian-trained doctors.
“A person in such a critical field as medicine — how would you give somebody a temporary licence? You would need a licence to be certified to practice,” Gbillah said.
“Do we try to restrict these people and infringe on their fundamental human rights or apportion more resources to the medical profession?”
In his remarks, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house, said fundamental human right is not absolute and that freedom can be restricted in some situations.
“Let me clear the issue of fundamental human rights that have been raised. If you go to section 45(1) of the constitution, it allows you to deviate from your fundamental human right under certain conditions,” the speaker said.
“One of these conditions concerns public health. So, if the government feels to safeguard public health, then we have not violated anybody’s human rights.”
When the bill was put to a voice vote, the lawmakers approved it.
