Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stressed that the only way to prevent medical professionals from seeking greener pastures abroad is to incentivise them.

He, therefore, called on governments at all levels to provide incentives for medical professionals in order to stem the tide of migration, popularly known as ‘japa’.

Obasanjo, who spoke at the commissioning of a hospital in Zamfara State, stressed the urgent need to retain trained doctors and healthcare workers within the country.

“For hospitals, especially when many Nigerians who have been trained as medical personnel are ‘japa-ing’, who are going out of the country, looking for better conditions, how do you hold them here? You have to give them a bit of incentive,” he said.

The former president emphasised that beyond infrastructure and equipment, quality healthcare delivery also depends on human resources.

“We need all the personnel that we can have because our hospitals have to deliver. You need the right environment and that is the refurbishing, renovation but you need the right equipment, and then you need the personnel,” Obasanjo added.

His comments come amid growing concern over the exodus of Nigerian health professionals seeking better pay and working conditions abroad.