Doctors proffer solutions to stem health sector brain drain

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), has advocated for specialised training and increased funding of residency training to stem the tide of health sector brain drain in the country.

The umbrella organisation of all medical doctors in the country, while on a courtesy call to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila in Abuja on Monday, said it was worried at the rate at which medical doctors and other practitioners in the sector were leaving the country in their droves after undergoing specialist training in different fields of medicine.

While addressing the Speaker on behalf of the NARD, its President, Dr Emeka Orji, said there was the “need for appropriate budgeting and funding for the health sector to ease the provision of equipment and hospital consumables as well as workers’ welfare.”

READ ALSO:Nigerian doctors decry govt’s N5,000 monthly hazard allowance

“There is the need for adequate funding of residency training in Nigeria. This highlights the importance of restoring the overseas exchange programme for doctors in specialist training,” Dr Orji said.

“We believe firmly that this would help reduce the push by Nigerian doctors to relocate abroad. The 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund also comes to mind.

“It is important to appreciate that resident doctors in Nigeria are working under pressure, and there is the need to put mechanisms in place to speedily resolve issues that affect their welfare, rather than wait for things to degenerate to the level of industrial disharmony,” he said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now