The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Kana, has appealed to medical doctors and other health workers to stay back and join in salvaging the country.

Kana’s appeal is contained in a statement issued by Mr Henshaw Ogubike, the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, in Abuja on Friday.

Ogubike stated that the permanent secretary made the appeal during the opening ceremony of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) National Executive Council Meeting in Abuja.

He quoted Kana as saying that the call was necessary as the Federal Government was also doing its best to reposition the health sector.

The permanent secretary added: “On the ‘japa’ syndrome, please I am appealing to our doctors and other health workers not to leave our dear country.

“We don’t have another country. You will still come back home when you leave Nigeria now, so let’s stay and salvage it together.

“As it is now, the present government of President Bola Tinubu is committed to improving the health sector.”

He said the government would continue to recruit doctors and prioritize healthcare as part of its social responsibilities.

According to him, the essence of the meeting was to plan and strategize on how to manage the healthcare system.

The Ministry’s director of press stated that the NMA President, Dr Uche Ojinmah, had earlier said that the theme of the meeting, ‘Achieving Universal Health Coverage in a Depressed Economy,’ was deliberately chosen.

Ojinmah said it reflected the association’s desire for a Nigeria where the citizens experience zero out-of-pocket expenditure for healthcare services.

He added that the kidnapping of doctors and other healthcare workers was a major security menace that required prompt attention.