Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has urged the federal government to introduce enhanced incentives for health workers to discourage their migration abroad in search of better opportunities.
Speaking in Jos on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Akintunde Sawyerr, Mutfwang stressed the need for competitive salaries, improved working conditions, and career advancement opportunities to retain medical professionals.
He also suggested implementing a system where students who benefit from government-funded training programs or student loans are required to serve the country for a certain period before seeking opportunities overseas.
Recalling past policies, Mutfwang noted that medical students were previously placed on government payroll from the clinical phase of their studies and automatically absorbed into state services upon graduation.
He argued that reinstating such measures could help address the ongoing brain drain in the healthcare sector.
“If we keep training doctors only for them to leave the country immediately, we are essentially producing talent for foreign nations while our healthcare system suffers,” he said.
He emphasized that Nigeria must ensure that its investments in medical education contribute to national development, rather than benefiting foreign countries facing workforce shortages.
Earlier, NELFUND’s MD, Akintunde Sawyerr, explained that his visit aimed to raise awareness about the federal student loan scheme and ensure that eligible students in Plateau State understand how to access funding for their education. He reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder students from completing their education in public tertiary institutions.
Sawyer further assured that the government is dedicated to making the loan scheme accessible to students across all states in Nigeria.
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