The Federal Capital Territory Administration has announced that the enhanced 2024 Budget proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to result in a significant 61% boost to the health sector in the nation’s capital, concurrently addressing the issue of brain drain, commonly referred to as the Japa syndrome.
Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary of the Health and Human Services Secretariat at FCTA, revealed these developments during a scientific conference held by the Association of Resident Doctors FCTA in Abuja on Wednesday.
Dr. Fasawe emphasized that the ‘Renewed Hope’ budget, totaling N27.5 trillion, is poised to catalyze substantial infrastructural advancements within the FCT health sector, fostering improved well-being not only for doctors but for all healthcare professionals.
“The budget is an increase over the last budget. We believe this will translate to a 61 per cent increase in our health indices, better equipment in our hospital, and we will be able to employ more doctors in FCTA.
“For every doctor who leaves the system, we replace the person. As people leave, we also have people looking for Jobs. Most people leave not because of poor salaries or poor working conditions but because they don’t have the right equipment to work at times. We hope the Japa syndrome will reduce with the improved budget, the right equipment, and expansion of our hospitals and better roll-call”.
Earlier, the Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party (LP), begged doctors in Abuja not to relocate abroad.
Represented by Juliet Essien, a clinician, Ireti said the FCT will continue to receive improved budgetary allocation for its health sector.
“Let’s stay in Nigeria; we can fix the country”, he said.
Also, the President of ARD, FCTA, Dr Rahman Olayinka, urged the government to declare an emergency in the country’s health sector.
President Tinubu presented the 2024 budget to the National Assembly last Wednesday.
A budget breakdown showed that the country’s health sector got N1.33 trillion, representing 5 per cent of the total budget.
The development comes as The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, also presented an N61.6 billion Budget to the lawmakers.
