From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), yesterday, called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the health sector to address the issue of brain drain among medical doctors.
It warned that Nigeria is losing trained doctors faster than it produces.
NMA Chairman, Kaduna State branch, Dr. Madaki Sheyin, gave the warning at a press briefing organised to flag off the 2022 Physicians’ Week, with the theme: “Nigeria’s Health Care Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition: A Time to Change the Narrative.”
He urged the Federal Government to immediately declare emergency in the country’s health sector.
Sheyin said statistics had revealed that between January 1, 2022 and September 30, 2022, about 1,307 doctors trained in Nigeria were licensed in the United Kingdom (UK) as Nigeria continues to battle brain drain in its history and in overall, 10,296 doctors who obtained their degrees in Nigeria, currently practise in the UK.
According to him, Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in UK after Pakistan and India.
He said: “As the situation gets worse, doctors, who stayed behind, are seriously being overworked, as the bureaucracy has made it difficult for heads of public hospitals to replace the doctors who had left.
“Therefore, those who are working now begin to see reasons to leave the country.”
“The situation our health care is facing now means one doctor to 15,000 patients, which may be worse if the situation is not addressed.”
Ashimi also appealed to the government to review the Consolidated Medical Salary Scheme (CONMESS), saying there is need for a hazard allowance for health workers.
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