BREAKING: Peter Obi decries brain drain in Nigeria’s healthcare sector

LABOUR Party Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi, yesterday decried the level of brain drain in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, describing it as unacceptable.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Anambra Chapter’s Physicians’ Week and Scientific Conference held in Nnewi, described continued migration of Nigerian-trained medical doctors to other countries as a trend that is impacting negatively proper health care delivery and therefore unacceptable.

Mr Obi who was represented at the occasion by Prof. Chinyere  Okunna, the Commissioner in charge of Economic Planning/Budget, Office of MDGs and Development Partners, during his administration as governor of Anambra.

The Physicians’ Week and Scientific Conference, with the theme “Nigeria’s Healthcare Delivery System And the 2023 Democratic Transition: A Time to Change the Narrative” regretted that young doctor in the country are leaving the country in their numbers.

The LP standard bearer noted that “Any doctor who is still Nigeria is working, is displaying great patriotism. It takes a high sense of patriotism for any doctor to practice in Nigeria due to the unfriendly environment they are operating in. The working environment is unfriendly, equipment is not there, payment is not attractive and there is insecurity for doctors.”

Sadly, doctors, especially young ones, are leaving the country in their numbers. During my administration in Anambra State, 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 at the time I left office.

“Industrial action is a legitimate instrument of bargaining but what matters is how the parties settle the differences and how the system comes out of it.

“My 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 “Physicians’ Week and Scientific Conference” 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, so it is good that we have resolved to enthrone good leadership come 2023.

“Strikes and picketing are legitimate ways workers can express their grievances or draw attention to areas that will make the system get better, I don’t blame anybody for embarking on a strike.

“Yes there was a strike in Anambra during my time, but it was resolved, salaries and arrears were paid, doctors returned to work and the health sector was greatly improved. If there is any sector that we did brilliantly, it was the health sector.

In his lecture, the Secretary-General, of NMA, Dr Jide Onyekwelu, described the burden of brain drain on the country as huge and expensive to train medical doctors.

According to him, “While the UN standard recommended an average of one doctor to 500 patients, the ratio had dropped to about 1500 due to the declining number of doctors in the country.”

“We, therefore, called on the Nigerian government to find out what made practising 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 to other countries, for greener pastures.

“Ironically those who are holding down our health sector and causing brain drain, still travel to those countries where our doctors are to see them, the same people they refused to make comfortable here”

Earlier In her remark, the Chairman of NMA, in Anambra, Dr Jane Ezeonu, said the “Physicians’ Week and Scientific Conference” was organised 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.

According to Ezeonu, “NMA would deliver free medical services to no fewer than 2,000 patients in the ongoing Physicians Week, just as we will hold its maiden zonal sports competition among the five zones in the state.”

NMA, Anambra State during the occasion, presented the Physician of the Year award to Dr Chukwudi Ihekweaba, a staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, through Prof. Gerald Uduigwe, Provost, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical College, who also was the Chairman of the occasion.