Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate has disclosed that Nigerian front-line health personnel are motivated by a desire to help people rather than monetary compensation.

Pate, who spoke on issues surrounding the pay of health workers in the country and the reason behind the emigration of doctors and nurses to other nations while appearing on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, detailed that money is not the key driver for healthcare workers.

Naija News reports that the health minister argued that remuneration was not the primary reason for the country’s mass exodus of healthcare workers.

Pate said, “Whoever goes into the healthcare profession has an interesting motivation to help others, he is not driven by just monetary incentives and all. That many folks go into the healthcare industry to serve others and that should not be taken for granted even though compensation is as important also as opposed to other professions where the money itself is the key driver.

“Whether you are a nurse, whether you’re a midwife or a medical doctor or a pharmacist or in any healthcare profession, there seem to be an unappreciation of the interesting motivation that selects folks to go there. If you want to make a lot of money, you can go into some other industries, you’ll make tons of money but those who are willing to serve others, to save lives to reduce pain are a special breed and yes i think the remuneration is a key component, making it regular, but that is not the primary reason that people would just pack their things and go.”

His comment comes as front-line health workers continue to leave Nigeria in search of greener pastures in Western nations.