The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says Nigeria is now battling with its worst situation of brain drain in history, as no fewer than 10,296 Nigerian-trained doctors are currently practising in the United Kingdom.
Dr Uche Ojinmah, the National President of the association, raised the concern on Monday amidst other issues at a press briefing to mark the 2022 Physicians’ Week in Ibadan.
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Ojinmah, represented by Dr Wale Lasisi, the NMA Chairman in Oyo State, said: “Currently, Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India and Pakistan.
“We call on our governments, at all levels, to quickly declare emergency action in Nigeria’s health sector for the sake of its citizens,” he said.
Ojinmah also expressed dissatisfaction over the welfare of members amidst a lack of facilities and infrastructure.
“Let me inform you all that Nigerian doctor is poorly paid, overworked, lack necessary work tools and had become a target for kidnapping.
“We, as Nigerian doctors, have been taken from the lofty heights of nobility to nothingness by the neglect and possible disdain for the health sector by successive governments.
“The penchant of state governments for seizing or slashing our salaries and paying it piecemeal at their convenience, without interest, has become the subject of folklore and hence, cannot be allowed to continue.
“On the need to review CONMESS, let me inform you that the ball is now in the court of the governments and they are foot-dragging.
“Let no one take our civility for weakness as we shall do all within the limits of legality to protect the interest of Nigerian doctors, while the governments continue in their ‘search’ for obvious reasons behind medical brain drain,” he said.
Similarly, the NMA in Ogun State, on Monday, called on the state government to declare a state of emergency in the health sector to address the issue of brain drain among medical doctors.
NMA Chairman in the state, Dr Adekunle Ashimi, made the call at a news conference to flag off the 2022 Physicians’ Week, with the theme: “Nigeria’s Healthcare Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition: A Time to Change the Narrative.”
Ashimi expressed regret over the rate at which brain drain had hit the country’s health sector, said the country was losing its human resources in geometric progression.
According to him, until the government declares a state of emergency in the health sector, the trend may continue to linger.
“As the situation gets worse, doctors, who stayed behind, are seriously overworked, as 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 join the train and 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,” he said. (NAN)
