By Joy Odor Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has dismissed claims that it endorsed a faction of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE), describing such reports as misleading.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Alabama Balogun, the Deputy Director/Head information & Public Relations informed that a video being circulated by the group, suggesting ministerial backing, misrepresented the circumstances of a recent meeting with the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako.
According to the Ministry, the meeting was arranged by Nurses Across Borders (NAB), a diaspora-led NGO that has been collaborating with its Diaspora Unit on a migration policy and implementation plan for Nigerian healthcare workers.
NAB had brought foreign partners to present strategies for managing healthcare worker migration, drawing on examples from countries such as the Philippines and those in the Middle East.
During the presentation, some Nigerians in diaspora including individuals who introduced themselves as representatives of NIDO Europe expressed interest in partnering with NAB on developing a mechanism for ethical migration of Nigerian health workers.
The Ministry stressed that it would only work with reputable, experienced private organizations to create a framework ensuring ethical migration for the mutual benefit of Nigeria and its healthcare professionals.
It emphasized its commitment to protecting the interests of Nigerian health workers, including those abroad, while refraining from involvement in the internal affairs of any professional or diaspora group.
“We remain focused on strategies to improve Nigeria’s health sector by harnessing all material and human resources, including the contributions of Nigerians in diaspora,” the statement read.
The clarification was issued “for information purposes and to correct any misrepresentation being circulated in the media,” the Ministry added.
