Nigeria is experiencing a significant brain drain in various sectors, especially the health sector.
Brain drain of health care workers is defined as “the movement of health care workers to different parts of the world in search of better living standards and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology, and more stable political conditions.” “to do”.
Brain drain is a challenge caused by a variety of economic, social, and global factors.
Some say that underinvestment in health care and low wages for health workers are also major contributors to the exodus of many health workers to developed countries.
According to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), shortages of health workers were common in Nigeria in the mid-1980s when the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) reduced the purchasing power of many Nigerians.
This development resulted in a brain drain, with highly skilled older colleagues relocating overseas.
This trend appears to be getting worse, and not much is being done to effectively stop it.
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Currently, the program continues to include young medical professionals.
Some say the trend is made even more frightening as the economic downturn, declining government revenues and health budgets, rising unemployment and poverty weigh on demand for health services.
Nigeria’s health sector suffers from a number of challenges, including insufficient and inconsistent funding, high reliance on out-of-pocket payments, and the poor condition of health facilities, especially in rural areas.
The Medical Guild, an association of doctors employed by the Lagos State Government, has highlighted the seriousness of the brain drain, saying it remains a poorly recognized crisis.
The report notes that an average of two to three doctors leave the state’s primary and secondary institutions every month without adequate replacement.
The guild says this has led to overwork, chronic fatigue, burnout and strained family relationships for the remaining doctors, with many battling chronic illnesses caused by stress and overwork.
They also point out that economic starvation and stagflation are hitting doctors even harder.
Similarly, the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria (APN) has lamented that over 100 psychiatrists left Nigeria for overseas assignments between January 2023 and July 2024.
The association estimates that for every five psychiatrists trained in Nigeria, three of them leave the country to work abroad.
Nigeria currently has one doctor for every 10,000 patients in this field, compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of one doctor for every 600 people. It is estimated that
Even more concerning is the question of who will replace existing doctors and the aging medical workforce.
Amina Dorai, Pathfinder’s Nigeria Country Director, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the country’s health system is in dire need of repair.
She added that there are strategies that governments can implement to stop brain drain.
Drai also suggests ways to motivate health professionals to work in Nigeria’s public health sector.
She believes that the exodus of medical talent in Nigeria is largely a result of the failure of leadership in the health system.
“The exodus of health talent in Nigeria can be attributed to failures in the leadership of the health system due to lack of insight and neglect of the problem.
“Nigerian medical professionals are migrating in droves to the UK, US, Canada, Australia and other developed countries,” she said.
To stem this trend, governments at all levels need to prioritize the threat of brain drain on their political agendas, Drai says.
He said: “Governments must work together with healthcare managers, other leaders and stakeholders in the health sector.”
“This will help improve the welfare, working conditions, job security and satisfaction of healthcare workers, as no other category of workers is more essential to people’s well-being.”
“Government needs to take concrete steps to stem the brain drain and motivate health workers to work in Nigeria’s public health sector.
“First, we need to improve the working conditions of health workers. This means strengthening the infrastructure, equipment and resources of public health facilities to create conducive working conditions.
“Competitive remuneration, offering pay and benefits comparable to international standards, is also important.”
Career development opportunities such as training and mentoring should also be provided to help health professionals grow professionally, Drai said.
According to her, the Federal Government’s recent student loan initiative is a commendable measure and should be implemented to give people from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to study medical courses.
She said it was important to ensure the safety and security of health workers, especially in high-risk areas.
Additionally, the government needs to recognize and reward their contributions and achievements to boost morale and motivation, she says.
“I also believe that engaging with the community of Nigerian health workers abroad will facilitate knowledge transfer, collaboration and potential contributions to the country’s health sector,” she said.
Drai said Nigeria must be ready to stem the problem of brain drain in the country.
There is no doubt that Nigeria’s health sector is facing an exodus of skilled professionals.
Factors driving this trend include incentives and available structures that provide better opportunities for health care workers in developed countries.
In addition, security challenges and severe economic conditions such as inflation are encouraging medical workers to migrate overseas.
These and more require political will to ensure health sector capacity and funding.
The government can also address social issues that encourage Nigerian medical professionals and their families to seek solace and better lives abroad.
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