The Kogi State House of Assembly has urged governments at all levels to prioritise the training of more medical doctors and enhance welfare packages to curb the growing “japa” syndrome among health workers.

The chairman of the House Committee on Health, Usman Ochidi, made the call on Friday in Lokoja when various ministries appeared before the assembly to defend their 2026 budget proposals.

Mr Ochidi, representing the Dekina Biraidu State Constituency, said the increasing exodus of doctors posed a grave threat to the nation’s health sector, warning that urgent interventions were needed to retain medical professionals.

According to him, deliberate investment and incentives are the only ways to encourage medical practitioners to remain in the country and contribute effectively to healthcare delivery.

“We must train more doctors and ensure they receive better pay, housing, mobility, and welfare if we truly want to strengthen our health system.

“Better wages, housing support, and mobility are no longer luxuries. They are necessities if we want our medics to stay and serve their fatherland,” he added.

He cautioned against politicising the health sector, emphasising that medical professionals were the backbone of national development and essential for improving public healthcare.

The lawmaker commended Governor Ahmed Ododo for prioritising doctors’ welfare, particularly the recent approval of a N300,000 monthly medical allowance for physicians in the state.

“Ododo has shown a genuine commitment to improving medical officers’ welfare. The N300,000 allowance is a bold step that will reduce the number of medics leaving for other countries,” he said.

Mr Ochidi further urged the government to consider long-term housing support for doctors through affordable mortgage schemes to help them feel rooted and motivated to serve their communities.

“I strongly suggest building houses for medical doctors under mortgage arrangements. When a clinician knows they have a home, it encourages them to work wholeheartedly for their people,” he said.

He also recommended providing official vehicles for doctors, payable gradually from salaries, highlighting that mobility was crucial for timely responses to emergencies.

“If our doctors have functional vehicles, they can respond promptly to emergencies.

“This will significantly boost service delivery and reduce the japa syndrome in Kogi State and across Nigeria,” he added.

Mr Ochidi lauded ministries and parastatals for their impressive performance in the 2025 fiscal year, urging them to continue improving in 2026.

“Many ministries performed remarkably well in 2025. I encourage them to keep improving because our people are counting on us,” he said.

The lawmaker emphasised the assembly’s commitment to supporting policies and programmes that strengthened the state’s health sector and safeguarded the well-being of Kogi citizens.

(NAN)