Borno Governor offers ₦2 million training allowance to doctors to discourage “Japa”

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has announced a lump sum of ₦200 million as allowances to support the residency training of 150 medical doctors.

Mr Zulum announced this Wednesday during a meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Maiduguri, as part of measures to discourage the “Japa” syndrome and “to elevate the quality of healthcare services in the state.”

“Japa” is a Nigerian slang used to describe the act of professionals leaving Nigeria to seek better opportunities and living conditions abroad.

Nigeria loses thousands of health workers annually to the Japa syndrome.

Under his new initiative, the Borno governor said 50 medical doctors employed by the state government will each receive ₦2 million, while over 100 Borno indigenes working in federal institutions are slated to receive ₦1 million each. These allowances are in addition to their normal salaries and allowances.

He said the financial support is intended to provide doctors with advanced clinical skills, practical experience, and specialised training, thereby contributing to the overall improvement of medical services in the region.

Brain Drain

Nigeria has been grappling with brain drain, as thousands of Nigerian health professionals, including doctors, leave the country yearly to seek greener pastures.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, recently revealed that the country now has only 55,000 licensed doctors as 16,000 doctors left the country in the last five years and about 17,000 have been transferred.

He also said that 67 per cent of Nigerian doctors who migrate go to practice in the United Kingdom.

To manage the mass exodus of the country’s health workforce, President Bola Tinubu approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration last week.

Mr Pate announced that the policy is a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health workers’ migration.

He added that the policy will also encourage the return of professionals to Nigeria through attractive incentives and reintegrate them into the nation’s health system.

Many states like Borno are also making their own efforts to retain health workers.

Borno’s efforts

Mr Zulum emphasised his administration’s commitment to healthcare service delivery. He appreciated the collaborative efforts of national health leaders in advancing healthcare services in Borno State.

The governor said his administration is committed to improving residents’ healthcare and underscored the critical role that well-trained medical professionals play in ensuring quality healthcare delivery.

He urged the NMA leadership to work with the state government in improving the healthcare of residents.

Plans for health sector

Mr Zulum highlighted his government’s planned interventions for the healthcare sector, including recruiting over 1,000 medical personnel, building doctors’ quarters and establishing a state university teaching hospital, as well as providing scholarships to medical students.

He said his administration plans to allocate more than 15 per cent of its budget to healthcare and enhance primary healthcare facilities in Borno.

NMA’s comments

In its reaction, the NMA named the governor as a “champion for quality healthcare and the welfare of health workers.”

NMA President Bala Audu commended Governor Zulum’s leadership and urged him to continue advocating for universal quality healthcare.

Mr Audu also lauded Governor Zulum for “his notable achievements in healthcare infrastructure development and initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of healthcare workers.”

He highlighted a successful medical outreach programme initiated by doctors from various specialities, which he said contributed to the advancement of healthcare services in the state.