The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said that the rate at which doctors were migrating for greater pastures implied a serious manpower crisis in the health sector.
The doctors raised the alarm at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Anambra Chapter’s Physicians’ Week, and Scientific Conference held in Nnewi.
The theme of the Week is “Nigeria’s Healthcare Delivery System And The 2023 Democratic Transition: A Time To Change The Narrative”.
Dr. Jide Onyekwelu, the Secretary General of NMA, who delivered the lecture, said the burden of brain drain on the country was huge as it was expensive to train a medical doctor.
Onyekwelu said while the UN standard recommended an average of one doctor to 500 patients, the ratio had dropped to about 1:5000 due to the declining number of doctors in the country.
He called on the Nigerian government to find out what made practicing outside the country more attractive to Nigerian doctors.
“Brain drain has devastated our medical sector. Nigerian doctors are well-trained, which is why they are well sought after elsewhere but our government does not appreciate the quality of our doctors, so they leave for other countries.
“But they still travel to those countries where they are to see them, the same people they refused to make comfortable here,” he said.
Mr. Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, described the continued migration of Nigerian-trained medical doctors to other countries as unacceptable.
Obi was represented by Prof. Chinyere Okunna, the Commissioner of Economic Planning/Budget, Office of MDGs and Development Partners during his administration as Governor of Anambra.
He said it took a high sense of patriotism for any doctor to still practice in Nigeria in the face of the challenges bedeviling the sector.
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According to Obi, any doctor still in Nigeria and working is displaying great patriotism.
“This is because the environment is unfriendly, equipment is not there, payment is not attractive and there is the insecurity of doctors.
“Sadly, doctors, especially young ones, are leaving the country in their numbers,” he said.
Obi said during his administration in Anambra, there were challenges in the health sector, including a period of industrial action by doctors, the problems were amicably resolved and the sector was in its optimal functional state.
He said industrial action was a legitimate instrument of bargaining but what mattered was how the parties settled the differences and how the system came out of it.
He said his government collaborated effectively with the mission to build a virile health sector, including building the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka from scratch.
“I am happy with the theme you have chosen for this Year’s Week celebration because the time to act is now, if you have good governance here, the health sector won’t be as poor as it is now.
“Strikes and picketing are legitimate ways workers can express their grievances or draw attention to areas of making the system get better, I don’t blame anybody for embarking on a strike.
Dr. Jane Ezeonu, chairman of NMA in Anambra, said the Week was organized in conjunction with Nnewi Branch to draw the attention of the government to the dwindling medical human resource challenges and its impact on the sector in Nigeria.
Ezeonu said the NMA would deliver free medical services to 2,000 patients during the physicians’ week and hold its maiden zonal sports competition among the five zones in the state.
The award of Physician of the Year was presented to Dr. Chukwudi Ihekweaba, a staff member of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital by Prof. Gerald Uduigwe, Provost, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical College.
