NEWLY GRADUATED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: UNNECESSARY REPETITION THROUGH INTERNSHIP AND NYSC
CLICK RETHINKING AND SCRAPPING NYSC SERVICE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL GRADUATES: A CALL FOR POLICY REFORM In the face of changing national realities, it is imperative that the Nigerian government revisits the policy mandating fresh graduates—especially health professional graduates with HND and BSc—to undergo the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) after already completing a compulsory one-year internship. This double service obligation has outlived its purpose and presents both logistical and existential challenges to the nation’s emerging workforce. Below are key reasons why the current structure demands urgent review. 1. Internship Already Serves as National Service : The one-year compulsory internship for health professionals—such as nurses, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, pharmacists, radiographers, and others—is itself a national assignment. It is centrally regulated and deployed according to the manpower needs of each state. These interns work in hospitals an...