Brain Drain : Nigeria Must Increase Capacity To Train More Doctors Per Annum – NPMCN President

By Grace Isaac, Osogbo

President of National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), Prof. Akin Osibogun , says Nigeria must develop the capacity to produce at least 60,000 doctors per annum instead of 30, 000 the country is producing so as to bridge the brain drain gap in the health sector.

Osibogun Stated this during Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA) Osun State Chapter Annual general meeting and scientific conference held in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

While speaking on a theme “Brain Drain and Inequitable Distribution of Health Care Resources, Urgent Need to Save the Nigerians Health Care Sector” He said certain push and pull factors were responsible for the mass exodus of the medical personnel to developed world.

He listed some of the factors of migration as lack of job satisfaction, insecurity , poor remuneration, shortage of medical personnel in United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia and other developed nations.

Osibogun also blame senior doctors for brain drain increase in the country adding that some senior colleagues failed to lecture the young doctors on the culture and profession they are into because they are discouraged by the salary.

Speaking on way out, Osibogun said since many medical practitioners had decided to leave Nigeria for other developed countries, there is need for Nigeria to increase its capacity to produce more doctors to serve the nation.

Osibogun who called on the authorities and concerned body to increase doctors salary, take care of their family , provide better facilities, an enabling environment and increase medical tourism said half of Nigerian doctors are migrating to other country because those countries have higher remuneration and better offer than what Nigerian is giving them.

He explained that increased welfare for health workers will help in addressing issues of doctors’ migration. “We must have a way to reintegrate them and bring them back into the country,” he said.

Osibogun advised senior doctors to explore by having a policies and means of generating funds so as to employ more workers. “This and others will encourage doctors in diaspora to come home and practices .

“We have shortage of doctors in Nigeria and the situation is being compounded by this migration of doctors. Those countries pulling out doctors are providing them incentives such as better pay and condition of service.

“We also consider our work environment. If you have the skills and training but you don’t have the necessary equipment. you will be frustrated as a doctor watching your patients die.

The job satisfaction has to be there for you to stay on it. Good remuneration is also very important to keep our doctors in Nigeria. We must put incentives to ensure we retain manpower. You don’t expect a staff to continue working if you don’t care for them. We have to look at the area they are lacking and solve it for them.

” There are many medical doctors in Nigeria but they are not practising majority of them are running into other business such as oil and gas.

NMA chairman , Doctor Adetoye Adedapo thanked all the invited guests for their presentation.

He said doctors present have learnt a lot from their presentation.

Shortly after the presentation, Doctor Adedapo led the invited guest speakers and Osun State commissioner for health, Jola Akintola to commission a toilet built by 2023 NMA executives .