Medical Students Object to Proposed Five-Year Mandatory Service

The Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA) has responded to the proposed legislation by Nigerian lawmakers that would prevent medical graduates trained in Nigeria from relocating to foreign countries until they have completed a mandatory five-year service in Nigeria following their graduation.

According to a statement issued by Ejim Egba, the President of NiMSA, the proposed bill is a violation of doctors’ fundamental human rights, as outlined in the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 as amended, and should not be passed. The association believes that the bill is intended to stifle the medical profession.

NiMSA clarified that addressing the issues of substandard infrastructure, insufficient and unsuitable pay, and unfavorable working conditions for health workers could minimize the desire to seek better opportunities abroad, and that the proposed bill is not the answer to the problem of brain drain.

Furthermore, the association emphasized that it would be considered slavery if the government compelled doctors to work in a specific area against their will. As such, the government does not have the authority to do so.