The UK Government Has Begone The Implement Nigeria National Assemble Bill, Even Before It's Passed
You may recall that Nigeria Reps. Has advanced on its Bill to prevent Nigerian-trained health workers from seeking greener pastures abroad early, according to the Bill that is sponsored by the member representing Oshodi/Isolo II Federal Constituency of Lagos State, a member of the ruling party, the APC, Hon. Ganiyu Johnson, that the Bill is to act as an amendment of the Medical and Dental Practitioal Act, has included conditions of mandatory five years practice before full qualification license, as a way of giving back to the country.
In what may be regarded as a swift reaction or adherence, the UK Government has announced the restriction of recruitment of health workers from Nigeria, and other countries, according to this story from Channeltv.com.
The other countries on the Red List include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, and Lesotho.
Others are Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Micronesia, Mozambique, Niger, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Tanzania, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
"There must be no active international recruitment from countries on the red list unless there is an explicit government-to-government agreement to support managed recruitment activities that are undertaken strictly in compliance with the terms of that agreement," the UK said in its updated policy on social and health workers released in March 2023. The British Government, however, said the List doesn't prevent individual health and social care personnel from independently applying to health and social care employers for employment in the UK "of their own accord and without being targeted by a third party, such as a recruitment agency or employer (known as a direct application)."
The UK also said the restrictions do not apply to health workers from countries on the Red List but who do not reside there or in another country.
The stoppage of active recruitment of Nigerian health and social workers comes amid outrage against the move by Nigeria's lower chamber to mandate medical graduates to render services within Nigeria for five years before being granted a full license.
The House of Representatives recently passed for second reading the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to compel Nigerian-trained doctors, nurses, and other health workers from emigrating the country to work in Europe and other parts of the world till they have served the country for five years. For decades, Nigerian doctors and nurses have formed a considerable percentage of migrating young and skilled personnel in a phenomenon known as brain drain or colloquially called 'japa,' which means to flee.
The number of Nigerian health workers emigrating to the UK and other places rose, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Doctors and nurses in Nigeria have perpetually embarked on industrial actions to protest poor welfare, unpaid salaries, and other unfavourable work conditions. Still, despite the Government's numerous promises, these issues must be satisfactorily addressed at the federal and state levels, leading to the mass exodus of skilled health practitioners primarily embraced in places like the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, among others. With this development, what do you think Nigerian health workers and medical practitioners will result if the BBillis finally passes?
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