The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chris Ngige disclosed this Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
He said a situation where a Medical Doctor in a Public Hospital comes to work once in a week but stays at his Private Hospital throughout the week can no longer be acceptable.
The White Paper Bars Public Sector Doctors from Owning Private Hospitals while still on the Payroll of the Government.
He should equally sign the one that will stop public office holders from traveling overseas to treat headache.
ReplyDeleteWell done to Buhari 👍🏾, this should have been done a long time ago. May God heal our country Nigeria.
DeleteThis man may have just put the final nail to the coffin of health care in the public health sector. Nigerian doctors take home a month is very poor,in some cases the salaries don't come on time. Doctors do a lot of self enhancement by way of furthering education, and it very expensive. What the government needs to do is yo completely overhaul the system, give the doctors adequate remuneration ( entry level to be like N500,000 ) , then when you ban them , it will make sense. Buhari pls just start packing your things , we really don't need you you after February 2019 .
DeleteHe didn’t stop them from working in private hospital but from owning private hospital. They always refer patients to their hospitals
DeleteHe won't sign such, as that would affect him. He is a major transgressor!
DeleteMisplaced priorities. If they are well paid, they won't be needing their own private practice.
ReplyDeleteThen they should resign and face their private business, many people are looking for jobs.
DeleteYollar, your name says it all. Olodo rabata 😏😏😏. You call what should have been put into effect a long time ago misplaced priority.
DeleteI shake my head for you, Mtcheeeeeeeeeeeeeew 😏
Queen, you get oil for head very well. Thanks for the response. Some people don’t even get it before commenting. Doctors get good money, especially consultants. But they want millions. Yet they provide less services in public hospitals and focus more on their own establishments. I hope no one would come and start saying in saner climes or in the US, UK, Canada because these countries don’t allow public doctors run private establishments. Choose one.
DeleteQueen Amy do you have a relation or a friend working in a public hospital and always report to work once in a week? Why jump into conclusion easily. Doctors are over used without good pay and the meagre pay sometimes get delayed. Come to think of that, is that Mr President reason for not getting treatment in the Country.
DeleteWell, this is a good one, I've had an experience in national hospital where some of thier consultants will be referring patients to their hospital. On the other hand should such consultant be blamed when salaries won't be paid at the right time. We are just in a confused country. God pls set everything right.
ReplyDeleteThe healthcare system in Nigeria really needs to be upgraded. Health care is meant to be accessible and affordable. But everything in Nigeria is business anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe doctors in question will probably resign and chose their private business instead.
I don't know if this should be good news or otherwise cause I believe doctors setting up private hospitals is as a result of governments negligence on public hospitals. If the government hospitals are properly funded and maintained with all the necessary amenities, equipments and drugs, doctors won't have any advantage or reason to set up private hospitals.
ReplyDeleteYou just took the words out of my mouth
DeleteNo, it is because our doctors want to earn millions. Our consultants earn more than 800k yet they call it chicken change. Common, even if the country is that bad, that’s not a small money. If the government hospitals are not doing as expected, open your private one, do it right there. Part of the problems in hospitals is also because of the doctors and nurses. They treat you as if they are doing you favours. Not because they are employees there. They are also part of those who embezzle monies for hospital care.
DeleteOne like
DeleteIt's like you don't know what doctor's in other country earn,that's why you see it as something big
DeleteAnonymous 08:58
DeleteWhy do people spew lies so boldly? Please mention one government hospital where a consultant earns 800k a month,with proof.
You don't come online with such bald faced lies to deceive people. If you don't know, don't make up stories and figures in order to appear knowledgeable.
- the Beloved One
You people are talking about consultants what about the resident doctors and house officers? How much are they being paid? After removing tax, pension, NHIS etc the take home pay isn’t up to 150k. Meanwhile they are the once that do all the work. They work everyday, do alternate calls and they are being paid peanuts. While the consultants who get paid heavily show up once a week or when they have surgeries. Now I won’t even focus on consultants take home pay, my focus is on the regular doctors’ pay. Government (state and federal) should review their salaries and pay them as at when due. Secondly, government should fund the public hospitals with equipments and employ capable hands to man such equipments. I have seen a public hospital with some equipments but no technicians to operate the equipments thereby leaving the equipments to rot away. They forget that when this equipments are up and running, they can generate revenue for the hospital rather than refer patients to go do the tests elsewhere. Thirdly, govt should think about the welfare of these doctors. These guys risk their health too much and are exposed to so many diseases to not be paid a heavy harzard fee. Also, their quarters should be equipped with basic amenities. I have seen a general hospital where the doctors quarters have no light and portable water for years. They go out to purchase water and they run on generator. How much is his salary that he’ll be buying fuel daily to charge his phone and at least relax in his room? And we wonder why our doctors are relocating abroad for better pay and standards? When the association body NMA decides to protest against all these, they threaten to fire them or not pay them the days they are on strike. Smh.
DeleteNigerian government should sit up and repair our health sector before it rots away.
Nothing wrong owning a private hospital while working for the government provided you are available and regular in your duty at the government hospital. You can own a private hospital and have people run it for you while you pertake fully at the government hospital. At least you can have what to fall back on after retirement in a country where pension and gratuity is hardly paid.
ReplyDeleteTeejay, most of these doctors are not available. I lost a friend in general hospital due to this during child delivery.
DeleteIn saner climes, you only do one. Same in the US, UK, Canada, etc. If government hospitals don’t pay you well, stick to your private one and get your pension there. At least, you own the place.
DeleteGood move. This makes sense.
DeleteAnonymous 08:53 I strongly condemn doctors not being available at the government hospital, to me it is a crime and should be punishable. Such act portray negligence of duty. But then again, government should make policies that will also encourage and better all parties involved.
DeleteHmmmmm, OK... .o
ReplyDeleteD Signing President. Pls Sign Ur Resignation Letter Oo Biko
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....so sorry for u my Presido
ReplyDeleteMc pinky
Hahahahaaa...save as much as u can, dump them and own your own business. You cannot pay your docs well, owing them up n down, they have families too. Pls if u can write their exams and relocate, do it ASAP.
ReplyDeleteGood one but pay them well and on time, equip the public hospitals as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it good news or not but if they are well paid... Why not be available
ReplyDeletePeople applauding Buhari for this nonsense I pray that God will have mercy on you all . Am into healthcare system though not a Doctor. Not until the public hospitals go on their usual strike and you have a relative who needs urgent medical specialists care and you discovered the private hospitals are not functional that is when you will understand the gravity of this law.
ReplyDeleteMost good private specialist hospitals are owned by consultants who also work in public hospitals to teach the younger doctors and also update their knowledge. Even in abroad, there are private hospitals and public hospitals. If this bill is put into law, young doctors who just graduated will own private hospitals which will be death zone.
My 2cent!
Government should fix the public hospitals and make sure salaries are been as at when due. I used to see Govt hospitals as death sentences until circumstances forced me to seek their services. Honestly, Doctors there are over used and needs more hands, reasons for been harsh on patients.
ReplyDeleteTwo of my siblings are consultants. Nigeria is the worst place to be a doctor in a government hospital. I have told them to organize themselves and move out of the country. Try being a doctor in Nigeria and a government hospital for that and you will understand. It's Only an illiterate that would appreciate doctors in Nigeria. I pity Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteThis should have been done a very long time ago. You can choose which one you want to do. Most of these private owned hospitals by doctors got their patients through the public hospitals. All they do is refer the patients to their private clinics. Most patients die in public hospitals cos these doctors are NEVER in the clinics. Place a call to them and they will be giving you the time they will arrive in the office. It is always in the evening. If they manage to get theirs in the morning they don’t spend more than 1-2hrs and they rush back to their own.
ReplyDeleteVery good move. Public sector consultants and doctors will fill up the spaces and also have their private hospitals to refer patients, with younger fellows having no where to work or a thriving private practice cos the seniors have dominated.
ReplyDeleteOf course they pay more attention to their private practice. You either belong to the public or private sector. Choose one and stick to it.
Am loving this one. My sister died in a private hospital because the idiotic doctor was unavailable as he was on duty in a government hospital. Why own an hospital if you cannot give it all your time and vice versa
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good idea,most of them are thieves,they expliot poor patients..if they cant deal they should resign & face their private clinics.
ReplyDeletelet me start by saying that no man is a fool. unless you start addressing this issue from Senate u are not doing anything, reason is simple doctors do a lot to save lives and get little pay while senators sit under AC and take 30 million a month and u think even when a doc is employed in public hospital even without having his own private hospital will answer a call on time. just the same way we neglected our teachers and celebrate olodos just because they find themselves in govt. Ask a police man why he refuses to protect people rather fighting for his pocket the first answer you get is that people under AC share better money while he put his life at risk.in fact people with good credentials now in health sector will rather want to own theirs than work for govt.
ReplyDeleteIf a doctor is regularly on duty as his public post demands, whose business is it if he decides to run his own private clinic contemporaneously? If he refrains from duty, then discipline or sack him! I believe there are rules to such effect. If a doctor is referring patients to his clinic, is he forcing them to go there? A patient will choose what he or she can afford. A lot of ppl choose government hospitals notwithstanding the referrals to private ones because that is what their pockets can handle. Those who opt for private hospitals on the other hand, largely do so to avoid the congestion and discomfort of public establishments and they are willing to pay for such. This new policy will either force skilled doctors to close shop and face public practice thereby increasing traffic in already overstretched public health facilities or force the doctors to face private practice alone, which will generally not provide them enough opportunity to observe diverse cases, appreciate new trends and further their medical skills, to the detrimental of the populace. Aside from that, how much can the government pay doctors for such demanding and hazardous work? Who needs tacky doctors? It's a lose-lose situation, abeg. I don't see what moral right a president who can't even stay in his country to treat his own ailments has, to be signing on any such policy for anyone. Only in Nigeria.
ReplyDelete