Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has warned doctors planning to relocate to countries like the United Kingdom, to reconsider such plans as they would lose out on getting hazard allowance.
Ehanire stated this while speaking at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) daily briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, there is no need for doctors to leave the country, as the government was working on better welfare for them.
Reacting to the report that 58 doctors were prevented from leaving Nigeria for the UK recently over visa issues, Ehanire expressed his surprise, noting that the movement was irregular as many of them were without visas.
“Now, this UK where they are going to, there’s no hazard allowance. They don’t give doctors hazard allowance. You just get your salary, that’s all. I’ve spoken to doctors there and they said it’s part of their job, part of what they’re trained for.
“But here, apart from your salary, we still try to add something to it in the hope that we’re going to attract our people to stay,” Ehanire said.
The Minister further stated that doctors owe Nigeria nothing, but it was important they bring “the experience and cutting-edge knowledge and skills they bring from abroad.”
