THE Nigeria Medical Association has slammed the Federal Government over plans to invite Chinese Medical practitioners to battle COVID-19 in the country, saying there is a large pool of unemployed medical personnel in Nigeria.
In a press statement signed by the President of NMA, Francis Faduyile, who said ‘the association is aware of a large pool of General Medical and Specialist Practitioners who are either unemployed or underemployed that can be engaged instead of bringing
foreigners who aside from national security concerns may not be conversant with our culture.”
Faduyile added that the government should rather channel its attention to the unavailability of enough COVID-19 test centres and protective kits in the country.
NMA noted that whatever experience the Chinese doctors might have to offer Nigeria could be explained digitally, also adding that the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC, Chikwe Ihelkweazu had just recently returned from China.
The association noted that the FG’s intention is an abuse on the extant laws that guides medical profession in Nigeria.
Faduyile said the invitation is also an embarrassment on Nigeria medical practitioners who have been working ‘under deplorable condition’ to rid the country of the health crisis.
“In rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors, the NMA would instead urge the Federal Government to review and approve better welfare incentives to the frontline medical personnel, the provision of adequate personal protective equipment, opening and properly equipping more isolation centres and health facilities across the country is an excellent first step,” the statement further read.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94