The federal government of Nigeria has issued a directive ensuring that health practitioners relocating abroad must resign from their positions with the government rather than applying for leave of absence.
Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health, disclosed this during a conversation with journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday.
Alausa stated that a presidential executive order had been dispatched to chief medical directors of government-owned health facilities to guarantee compliance with the directive. While affirming that the government does not intend to prohibit the relocation of health practitioners, Alausa emphasized that doctors planning to move abroad must first vacate their positions in the country.
He clarified, “However, the government has not prohibited anyone who wants to move to the UK or Australia to take up appointments not to do so. It is a free world. But, you cannot eat your cake and have it. If you are going, just resign your appointments with the federal government, rather than applying for a leave of absence.”
The Minister highlighted that this approach had been formalized through a Presidential Executive Order communicated to all the Chief Medical Directors of Federal Government-owned health facilities for implementation. He further elaborated, “So, to resolve this problem, the President has directed that any health worker going abroad to work should just resign his or her appointment. This way, you won’t be blocking others who want to work.”
Moreover, Alausa revealed that the government had taken proactive measures to mitigate the brain drain effect caused by the relocation of health practitioners. He mentioned, “We have doubled our enrollment for Doctors, Dentistry and Pharmacists.”
“However, the government has not prohibited anyone who wants to move to the UK or Australia to take up appointments not to do so,” the minister said.
“It is a free world. But, you cannot eat your cake and have it. If you are going, just resign your appointments with the federal government, rather than applying for a leave of absence.
“That is the Presidential Executive Order which has been communicated to all the Chief Medical Directors of Federal Government owned health facilities to implement.
“So, to resolve this problem, the President has directed that any health worker going abroad to work should just resign his or her appointment. This way, you won’t be blocking others who want to work.”
