President Bola Tinubu remains resolute in his commitment to providing Nigerians with quality healthcare, according to Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako. Speaking during a tour of federal health facilities in Ogun State on Friday, Dr. Salako emphasized that one key part of the Federal Government’s strategy to combat brain drain in the health sector is to recruit more health professionals. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the delivery of quality healthcare across the country.
During the tour, which included visits to the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, and the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, Dr. Salako explained that the government is actively engaging with Nigerian health workers abroad. “We are harvesting the contributions of Nigerian doctors in the UK, US, and Ireland to support our healthcare system,” he said, highlighting the importance of leveraging the rich expertise of the diaspora to improve local health sector development.
To mitigate the “japa syndrome,” the government is expanding its capacity to train more health workers, and President Tinubu has given a waiver to recruit additional personnel—a measure that Dr. Salako described as essential for addressing the current shortage in the sector. “We are expanding our capacity to train health workers, and Mr. President has given us a waiver to recruit more health workers than any other sector,” he added.
In a related development, Dr. Salako appealed to the state government to domesticate the Mental Health Act, a step aimed at broadening access to mental health care. Speaking with journalists, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, confirmed that the state is committed to implementing the Mental Health Act, saying, “We are going to domesticate the act because it’s one of our commitments to the people. With the pressure of society, more people suffer from mental health challenges. It is our job to ensure that our citizens are kept safe.” He underscored the importance of ongoing collaboration with the federal government, noting that joint efforts have already led to upgrades at several primary health facilities.
The Provost and Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dr. Paul Agboola, expressed his enthusiasm about the minister’s visit. “It’s quite a great joy for us that the Minister is visiting the hospital. We are eager to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and the state government on implementing the Mental Health Act,” he said, adding that their partnership is key to ensuring that mental health care reaches those in need.
These initiatives underscore the Federal Government’s broader vision for Nigeria’s healthcare sector—a vision that not only addresses current manpower shortages by tapping into both local and diaspora talent but also ensures that policies like the Mental Health Act are domesticated to expand access to essential services. Through these efforts, President Tinubu and his team are working to build a more resilient and inclusive healthcare system for all Nigerians.
