Obasanjo asks medical colleges to check brain drain
By Emmanuel Badejo
WORRIED by the growing number of Nigerian medical personnel relocating to foreign lands, President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged medical colleges in the country to improve on their education and training programmes.
Obasanjo made the call in Lagos on Monday at the Nigeria chapter's annual scientific meeting of the West African College of Physicians (WACP), held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja. The theme of this year's conference is "Health and Environment".
Obasanjo, who was represented by the Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, expressed dismay over the dearth of medical specialists in the West African sub-region. He said that "this situation has become worsened by the continued flight of health personnel from the public service for greener pastures overseas".
He added that the problem of continuous migration could be solved if member-countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) improve their collaborative efforts in the sector.
He said that in Nigeria, government has continued to improve the wellbeing of the nation's health personnel to retain quality manpower within the system.
He said: "The Federal Government continues to improve on the welfare of our health personnel to retain quality manpower within the system.
"I am pleased to inform you that the Federal Ministry of Health is currently working on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Association of Nigerian Medical Practitioners in Americas (ANMPAS) and the Medical Association of Nigerian Specialists and General Practitioners in Great Britain (MANSAG), with the hope of bridging the gap caused by the brain drain in the health sector".
On training, Obasanjo said "medical practitioners must be trained and re-trained to assume greater responsibilities in healthcare delivery. The corollary to these is that your college, in consultation with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), should incorporate other non-medical courses in the curricula of medical students and trainee fellows".
While appreciating the efforts of WACP in organising the programme, the President noted that good health services in Nigeria need massive funding. He solicited for more assistance from the health-related organisations with a view to closing the financing gap.
Earlier, Lagos State governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who hosted the medical practitioners, applauded the theme of the conference, saying "it was a very thoughtful one which is needed at this time as there has been the increase of environmental degradation, neglect and pollution in recent times".
Tinubu, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan, said his administration has consistently been contending with health-related challenges in the state. He added that this has led to the creation of the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) unit, which efforts have drastically reduced deaths caused by accidents.
Tinubu added: "In further pursuit of improved health through a better environment, the mission of making Lagos State a model state is being achieved by the introduction of the community-based waste management systems. The other methodologies hinge upon aggressive implementation of erosion control standards and systematic physical planning for sustainable development.
"To be well prepared for events of mass disaster, we are establishing the Lagos State Disaster Management Agency".
