Medical bodies in various countries have expressed that the United Kingdom government’s code of practice for international recruitment of health and social care personnel will not deter Nigerian doctors from migrating to other countries, as freedom of movement is a fundamental right.

The Nigerian Medical Association and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors responded to the UK code of practice, which listed Nigeria among 54 other countries where health workers should not be actively recruited. The UK explained that these countries were identified by the World Health Organisation as having significant health and care workforce-related challenges.

ALSO READ: Joe Biden vows to overturn federal judge’s ruling suspending approval of abortion pill

The NMA President, Dr Uche Ojinmah, stated that Nigerian doctors migrate to other countries due to poor treatment by the Nigerian government, and emphasized that freedom of movement is a fundamental right that cannot be taken away. The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Emeka Orji, also noted that doctors can still apply to work in the UK despite the restriction.

ALSO READ: Burundi doctors declare first polio outbreak in 30 years

The restriction by the UK comes amidst a bill in the Nigerian House of Representatives proposing a compulsory five-year service for doctors upon graduation. The NARD’s President called on the Nigerian government to improve the working conditions and funding of the health sector to discourage migration, citing India as an example. Nigeria currently has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India and Pakistan.

ALSO READ: Tinubu’s supporters express frustration as UberFacts resurrects accusations about the Nigerian president-elect’s past involvement in heroin business

Other countries listed on the UK’s red list of ‘No active recruitment’ include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, and Liberia.