By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE. Lagos
The Vice Chancelor of Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences Lagos, Prof. Muheez Durosinmi has lamented over inadequacy of medical doctors in the country, saying Nigeria is yet to attain the recommendation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) of one doctor per 600 hundred patients.
He posited that it will take the country about 100 years to meet up with the World Health Organisation’s recommendation.
Durosinmi, who disclosed that the country presently operates on one doctor to six thousand patients, hinted that about half of the population of Nigerian registered doctors are now in the diaspora.
The university don,who spoke at the inauguration of the governing council of the institution, said only 35,000 out of the 73,000 registered Nigerian doctors are practising in the country, while the remaining have traveled abroad for greener pasture.
He therefore implored both the federal and state governments to create the enabling environment for Nigrrians doctors to enable them practice in the country.
His words, ” For optimum health delivery, the World Health Organisation says it must be one doctor to 600 patients , but what do we have, one doctor to 6000 patients. For us to meet the WHO needs, it will take us 100 years.
Nigerian doctors are well trained, when our doctors go abroad they are recognised. The down turn of the economy has made government not to employ the required number of doctors, we have a lot of medical graduates that are still looking for job.
On the list of the medical and dentist council, we have a total of 73,000 members, only 35,000 are practising in the country.the rest are in the diaspora, the current system can not absurb them and we have so many government hospitals that can’t be proud of adequate number of doctors “.
Asserting that Nigerian doctors are well trained and among the best in the world, the vice chancellor revealed that a lot of them are unemployed, adding that both the federal and state government are not ready to employ them.
On how to meet the WHO recommendation, Durosinmi a former chairman of faculty of pathology National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria said additional institutions that will produce qualify doctors must be established.
Also speaking at the occasion, chairman of governing council. Prof. Akanni Hussein attributed the problem in the health sector to structural defect,, adding that Nigerian doctors do perform well abroad.
Hussein, a former vice chancellor of Lagos University (LASU) also pointed out that government interference in the management of university should be discontinued, saying there should be academic freedom for the universities.
In his opening remarks, founder of the university, Dr. Ayodele Ibraheem disclosed that he established the school because of the love for his people.
Adding that the institution is meant for purely academic pursuit, Ibraheem said student union activities will not be allowed.
