From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Charles Igwe and the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria (MDCAN), have called for health systems strengthening to arrest the spate of brain drain among medical practitioners in Nigeria.
Over 500 medical consultants are said to have left the country for greener pastures in the last two years. They spoke at the opening ceremony of the National Executive Council Meeting of the MDCAN in Enugu. Igwe, who was represented at the two-day event holding at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Prof. Edith Nwosu, blamed the situation on bad leadership in the country.
“Our nation at this time is faced with the greatest challenge of brain drain and your profession is the worst hit.
“What does your association need to do in order to check brain drain? Bad leadership in the country is the problem. “Now that the Nigeria election will come up next month, time has come when professionals should get involved, when we should participate. This is the time to change the narrative as professionals,” Igwe said.
National President of MDCAN, Dr. Victor Makanjuola said the theme: “Medical practice in a contemporary environment and sub-themes- brain drain and insecurity- implication for healthcare delivery, as well as understanding and navigating Nigerian tax laws are apt,” were carefully chosen to address contemporary issues affecting the health sector in Nigeria.
He explained that the figure of over 500 medical consultants that left the country was as at March last year; “so it is now far more than that.”
He added that the country was not where it should be in the area of healthcare, due to “poor budgetary allocation, poor infrastructure, lack of incentives leading to brain-drain, challenge of power generation and distribution in most of our facilities. Makanjuola was, however, upbeat that policy makers and administrators would apply recommendations from the meeting in addressing the challenges facing medical education and the health sector in Nigeria.
Lamenting over the challenges, Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr. Monday Igwe disclosed that within the last one year, six members of the hospital’s staff had also left for greener pastures.