29th January, 2023
By Kemi Akintokun
The Nigeria Medical Students Association (NMSA) has urged the government to take practical steps to address the health sector’s brain drain.
Ejim Egba, president of NMSA, made the call on Saturday in Lagos at a programme organised by the Healthcare Transformation Coalition (HTC) under the auspices of the Lagos State Health Service Commission.
He said, “Having a structured and improved salary alongside a good welfare package will go a long way to resolve this issue.”
“There is a very high deficit in the ratio of doctors to patients, and this is not in line with the World Health Organisation’s standard.”
“The government must be pragmatic about its approach in areas such as salary, good working conditions, grants, training, and adequate security for health workers.”
“Also, an improved education system would train more quality doctors to replace the ageing ones,” he said.
Egba also appealed to student doctors, who were already nursing the ambition of leaving the country after their studies—a condition he called “Japa”—to have a rethink before taking such a decision.
”I know everybody loves to `Japa’ including me, but the country needs us to fill this vacuum, and even some of our health workers outside can testify that the system is not encouraging,” he said.
Khadija Motunrayo, the President of the Nigeria Nursing Students Association (NNSA), who also spoke at the event, said that healthcare workers should be encouraged to get the best out of them.
“The push and pull factors should be critically examined to address brain drain. Why are people leaving? What will keep them in the country?
“Good income, benefits, access to grants, training, and other things will keep people back,” she said.
NAN