October 15, (THEWILL) – US-based Physician, Dr Terrance Baker, has charged Nigerians in the Diaspora to return home to build a more resilient healthcare system in the country.
Baker made the call at the 5th Annual International Conference of the Nigeria Association of Foreign Trained Pharmacists (NAFTraPh) on Thursday in Lagos.
Baker is a Johns Hopkins Community Physician, Department of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. and the Producer of Doctors in the House, a TV show in the U.S.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the three-day conference is: “Social Determinants of Health and Populations Health Outcomes in a Developing Economy- Nigeria’s Perspective”.
He urged the Federal government to welcome Diasporans who want to return home to help make the country better by creating an enabling environment that would make them comfortable.
According to him, sending money back to the country is not enough to fix the country.
Baker noted that many Nigerians in America and Europe were tremendously very influential, adding that they included men and women who were successful, financially.
“Many of them send money home, but I believe that the Diasporan should be encouraged to actually return home.
“For example, Nigerian pharmacists are going to get training and experience and are returning home to change the healthcare system.
“I believe the diaspora must come home. I believe they can’t improve Nigeria from afar, they can’t rule, they can’t manage it from a distance.
“You cannot manage your country from a thousand miles away, it is very hard.
“They need to come and be part of it. The Diasporans need to invest in farming and farm equipment. They need to come and put their money to improve the food emergency.”
He delivered a keynote address titled, “Social Determinants of Health and Populations, Health Outcomes in a Developing Economy – Nigeria’s Perspective”.
He said there were several concerns that caused healthcare to be poor in most parts of Nigeria.
He listed the concerns to include poverty, inadequate housing, inadequate water and sanitation, inadequate transportation, safety concerns of terrorism and violence.
“I am happy to be here to deliver the keynote address at the 5th conference of internationally trained phamacists who have returned back to Nigeria to practice pharmacy.
“Today, we discussed social determinate of healthcare and in Nigeria today, there several key concerns that cause healthcare to be poor throughout most of Nigeria.
“For example, 2.500 children between the ages of zero to 25 years will die today and most as a result of poverty, inadequate housing, inadequate water and sanitation, inadequate transportation, safety concerns of terrorism and violence.
“Nigeria is currently in the middle of a food insecurity emergency and I believe the emergency can be addressed.”
According to him, Nigeria is in a position to be one of the greatest nations in the African continent.
“I believe Nigeria uniquely has a workforce and has the resources necessary to lead the world.
“Nigerians in medicine, medical doctors in America, Europe and Asia lead the world in medicine.
“Pharmacist throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia, Europe lead the world in the care of patients in pharmacy and nursing.
“Nigerian nurses are a major workforce throughout the world caring for patients.
“Nigerians have proven that they have the unique capability in health and can also lead the world; either way, that determines a workforce for the entire world,” he said.
Mrs Sherese ljewere, a Clinical Nutrition Consultant, talked on the need to improve child and maternal health not negating paternal health.
“The foetus origin of disease is ensuring that the mother’s maternal health and the father’s paternal health are good before pregnancy.”
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