Doctors urge Nigerian govt to redress brain drain, strike actions in health sector

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has charged the Federal Government to brainstorm solutions over the challenges of brain drain and recurrent industrial actions bedevilling the health sector.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the NMA President, Prof Innocent Ujah, as part of activities to commemorate the 2021 Physicians’ Week in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital on Tuesday.

According to Ujah, factors such as ‘hostile’ working environment coupled with poor remuneration were responsible for brain drain and strike actions.

The NMA President said: “The doctors are leaving because the working environment is hostile and the remuneration is poor.

“Incentivisation of health care workers will motivate them to work harder and give their best as health, it is said, is wealth. But we add that health is better than wealth.

READ ALSO: NMA reveals reason for brain drain among doctors

“These demands are negligible. Doctors are not trained to go on strike. We are trained to save lives.

“We don’t want to go on strikes anymore. So, we believe that proactive government intervention will prevent strikes.

“We wish to appeal to the various agencies of government to ensure that urgent attention and appropriate response be given to the full and complete implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed by Nigerian Medical Association, NMA).

“We urge all state governments owing doctors in their employment salaries and allowances to pay them so as to prevent further frustration among the workforce, as this is highly demotivating and clearly unacceptable.”

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