The Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has faulted the five per cent budgetary allocation for the health sector in the proposed 2024 budget.
Olayinka Rahman, the President of ARD FCTA, faulted the allocation on Monday during a press briefing to announce the Health Week 2023.
Rahman lamented the persistent poor remuneration for doctors and poor working conditions across hospitals in the FCT and the country.
He said the N1.33 trillion budgetary allocations for the country’s health sector would not address challenges, considering the hike in the prices of transport, food and services caused by fuel subsidy removal.
According to him, Nigeria’s health sector is in dire need of emergency.
“The 5 per cent Budgetary allocation will be inadequate to address the problem of poor remuneration, insufficient health facilities and other challenges. I can’t continue to use the same method and expect different results.
“Many doctors in the country today are here because of patriotism. That’s why most doctors are leaving the country in droves. I can tell you that in ARD, FCTA alone, more than Five to 10 doctors live daily.”
The Association of Resident Doctors, in January 2023, said close to 2,000 doctors leave the country yearly for greener pastures abroad, according to a survey in 2022, and there are indications that the figure might have jumped to over 4,000.
