*says 10,296 doctors trained in Nigeria currently practicing in the UK
*says Nigerian doctors poorly paid
By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kaduna State Branch, has sympathized with the affected citizens in different states over the recent flood that led to loss of many lives and property across the nation, saying the Federal Government needs to actively initiate measures to avert flooding.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday at NMA State secretariat to mark this year’s, Physicians Week, Dr. Madaki D. Sheyin, Chairman Kaduna State Branch explained that the NMA had to shelve this year’s Physicians Week National Opening Ceremony and razzmatazz as a result of the massive flood affecting states of Nigeria with attendant loss of human lives and property, thereby dampening the mood of the nation.
He added that, Nigeria is passing through difficult times but he knows that with perseverance and being the best that citizens can be, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“Hence Nigeria is at a turning point and we all are to stand as compatriots to obey the call of Nigeria, because we must never let the labours of our past heroes be in vain,” he advised.
Dr. Sheyin noted that, this is one flood too many in recent history of the nation.
“We say no more floods while we watch. All citizens must respond to the call of Nigeria for good leadership and should never for pecuniary benefits sell or support candidates that cannot move the nation forward.
“I am hereby using this auspicious occasion to send a message of love and sympathy from NMA to all fellow citizens affected by the flood disaster ravaging the nation. We pray for a quick resolution and recovery. We call on our Governments at different levels to work together in helping victims recover quickly.”
“We have from our meager resources sent some relief materials to worse hit states, we are reaching out to affected communities to roll out medical outreach programmes and send solidarity messages to the state Governors and some dignitaries in the affected states. May God grant us the courage to be who we ought to be by standing for equity and progress. May our loyalty be to only Nigeria and may our loyalty not be tested by any past or present commitment.”
Furthermore, the NMA State Chairman disclosed that, Nigerian doctors have been taken from the lofty heights of nobility to nothingness by the neglect and possible disdain for the heath sector by successive governments, saying that Nigerian doctors are poorly paid, over worked, lack necessary work tools and have become targets for kidnap.
Dr. Madaki expressed worries over the continuous brain drain issues bedeviling the country as a result of states and federal government not showing much concern towards the welfare of doctors, that is leaving most of them with no choice, but to find alternative for a better future.
He said, “the Kaduna Doctors issue is even worse than any, because it’s hit by this poor welfare conditions, doctors in the state’s employ as at today receive only 60% of the CONMESS salary scale, a far cry from what those in the Federal
and other states are receiving. This alongside insecurity is largely responsible for the high turnover of doctors in the state and mass exodus, causing both internal and external brain drain.
“We hereby, call on the state government to immediately implement the report of the Committee on Review of Medical Doctors and other healthworkers’ salaries in Kaduna State and also domesticate the newly approved hazard allowance for doctors.
“The theme of this year’s Physicians’ Week (Nigeria’s Healthcare Delivery System and The 2023 Democratic Transition: A Time To Change The Narrative) is in tandem with the most important upcoming event in Nigeria
while the sub-themes (Mitigating The Impact Of Brain Drain On The Dwindling Human Resource For Health In Nigeria and Health Sector Reforms In The Face Of Emerging Public Health Threats) were chosen as continued reminder to our Governments that things are falling apart in the health sector.
“On the sub themes; the issue of progressive depletion of human resource for health cannot be over emphasized. With the recent article from online Punch Newspaper of 9” October 2022 titled “200 Nigerian Doctors Move to UK in One Month’, the fact that checks on the website of the General Medical Council (GMC), the body which licenses and maintains the official register of medical practitioners in the UK, showed that the GMC licensed at least 200 Nigerian-trained doctors between August 31, 2022, and September 30, 2022 was revealed.
“The statistics also showed that between January 1, 2022 and September 30, 2022, about 1,307 doctors trained in Nigeria were licensed in the UK as Nigeria continues to battle one of the worst situations of brain drain in its history”. Overall, 10,296 doctors who obtained their degrees in Nigeria currently practice in the UK.
“Dispersion of the emigration data for Nigeria trained doctors to UK is as follows: 233 in 2015, 279 in 2016, 475 in 2017, 852 in 2018, 1,347 in 2019, 833 in 2020 in spite of COVID Pandemic and 932 in 2021 during recovery from COVID. “Currently, Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India and Pakistan.
“Meanwhile, while we are losing our human resource for health in geometric progression, Lassa Viral Hemorthagic fever, Malaria, Covid-19, Ebola, Marburg, etc are still very much available in the face of worsening incidences of Systemic Hypertension with or without complications, Diabetes mellitus with or without complications, osteoarthritis, etc.
“We call on our Governments to quickly declare emergency action in Nigeria’s health sector for the sake of her citizens, and despite the national drawbacks, the Nigerian doctor has a lot to celebrate this week just for being alive.
“Let me commend the Kaduna State Government for significant infrastructural development projects especially in the area of primary healthcare but I must state that she needs to do more in the area of Human
Resource for Health to reserve the worrying trend of brain drain especially among younger generation doctors.
“Let us all as citizens of this great nation lift her up in all that we do. Let us all become good ambassadors to our motherland. We are too blessed to be beggars.” Dr. Sheyin pointed out.
