The Nigeria Medical Students Association (NMSA) has urged governments to adopt pragmatic measures to address brain drain in the health sector.
Ejim Egba, the President of NMSA made the call at a programme organised by Healthcare Transformation Coalition (HTC), under the auspices of the Lagos State Health Service Commission, to address brain drain in the country, on Saturday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme was: “Imperatives of Brain Drain in the Health Sector”.
“Having a structured and improved salary alongside 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.
“Government must be pragmatic about its approach in areas of salary, good working condition, grants, training and adequate security for health workers.
“Also, improved education system to train more quality doctors to replace the ageing one” he said.
Egba also appealed to students 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 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 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 factor should be looked at critically to address brain drain. Why are people leaving? What will keep them in the country and many other reasons.
“If people get good income, benefits, access to grants, training and other things, it will go along to keep them back,” she said.
