The Kogi State House of Assembly has called on all levels of government to invest in the training of medical doctors, provide better remuneration, and improve welfare packages to curb the rising trend of “Japa Syndrome”, the exodus of professionals from Nigeria.
Hon. Usman Ochidi, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, made the call during the 2026 Budget Defence of the Health Ministry at the Assembly Complex in Lokoja.
He emphasized that better pay, housing, and mobility for medical professionals are crucial incentives to retain them in the country.
“The escalating departure of trained doctors is a serious threat to our health sector. Only deliberate investment and incentives will encourage them to stay,” Ochidi said, adding that doctors are the backbone of national development.
The lawmaker commended Governor Usman Ododo for approving a N300,000 monthly medical allowance for state physicians, describing it as a bold step toward reducing doctor migration.
Ochidi also recommended long-term housing support for doctors through affordable mortgage schemes and urged the provision of official vehicles to improve mobility and emergency response.
“If our doctors have homes and functional vehicles, they feel rooted and motivated to serve. This will significantly curb the ‘Japa Syndrome’ in Kogi State and Nigeria at large,” he said.
He further praised state health ministries and parastatals for their performance in 2025, urging continued improvement in 2026, and reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to policies that strengthen the health sector and safeguard citizens’ wellbeing.
(National Update)
