NMA Seeks Declaration Of Emergency On Medical Brain Drain

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has asked the Federal Government to urgently declare a state of emergency on medical brain drain as a measure to address the migration of medical doctors who are leaving the country.

NMA also demanded the immediate rescue of one their colleagues, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola of the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, who was over seven months ago kidnapped at the hospital’s quarters, or be left with an option to down tool in protest.

Addressing a press conference ahead of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference slated for August 10, NMA Chairman in Kaduna State, Dr Madaki David Sheyin, said statistics have shown that over 15,000 Nigerian trained medical doctors moved outside of the country in search of greener pastures.

He identified poor remuneration, poor facilities, security challenges and overstretched manpower as part of the factors responsible for medical brain drain, asking the government at all levels to declare a state of emergency with a view to addressing the challenges.

According to Dr. Sheyin, “We as an Association have continually advocated for better funding for the health sector over the years, we have had to grapple with dilapidated infrastructures, poor working environment, poor remuneration that has worsened the brain drain in the State and by extension the persistent shortage in manpower and inability to attract the required number of human resource for health in the right skill mix.”

He added that the security and safety of the healthcare workers have also been a challenge as hospitals and doctors become soft targets to kidnappers for ransom.

These, he added to have put the state of the healthcare at risk, emphasising also the failure of previous administrations to tackle these challenges head-on which have left more questions than answers.

“As the parent body of all doctors in the State, we have led discussions with the current administration of Governor Uba Sani who has shown empathy for the plight of healthcare workers as regards the challenges being faced. His government is giving us listening ears which is a departure from our experience with the previous administration. There seem to be a resolve towards addressing the fundamental issues that have given rise to the these challenges over the years.

“We are not there yet, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. The initial steps the Kaduna State Government has taken are commendable and gives us some gilmer of hope that afterall there might just be light at the end of the tunnel. The progress made needs to be improved upon as there is still more work that remains to be done,” he said.

On the ongoing renovation, reconstruction and upgrading of some secondary health facilities across the state, the Kaduna State NMA Chairman said they were long overdue.

He commended Governor Sani for the gradual improvement in the CONMESS salary scale for doctors which was ongoing, saying this should be followed up with the implementation of the new hazard allowance for healthcare workers, accoutrement allowance and a sustained payment of Medical Residency Training Fund for Resident doctors.

“The challenges encountered by doctors in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital needs to be addressed squarely, and we have previously recommended severally that giving the only State Tertiary Hospital full autonomy will solve over 90% of her lingering problems and eliminate the administrative bottlenecks encountered in funding and close gaps occasioned by acute shortage of manpower.

“The hydra-headed monster of medical quackery has been on the increase and can be tied to the inadequate number of qualified medical practitioners in the right skill mix across the state.”

He added that the state government’s agencies charged with the responsibility of checkmating the activities of these quacks must up their game and come up with innovative ideas to stem the practice that has sent many innocent lives to their early graves.

“More collaborative efforts must be employed with health professional groups to assist government identity such quacks, so that the full scale of the law is applied to erring persons to serve as deterrents to others engaging in this unwholesome acts,” Sheyin said.

He added that, “The NMA will not condone any form of aiding or abetting of malpractice by any member regardless of their status.

“We will always be willing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies including the Nigerian Police to ensure sanity and professional ethics is maintained.”

On the security situation as touching on medical doctors, Sheyin lamented the worrisome spate of kidnappings involving members and families of doctors.

He said these have become a cause for worry and concern to the NMA, urging government to do all it takes to prevent such disturbing occurences from happening.

“We are saddened by the continued captivity of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola a resident doctor kidnapped over 7 months ago from the National Eye Centre Kaduna hospital quarters, this is unacceptable and condemnable.

“Despite assurances of security agencies from both state and federal level on efforts to secure her release, Dr. Ganiyat, a breastfeeding mother still remains in captivity. Reports of her failing health and harsh conditions she’s being exposed to calls for the need by all the relevant security apparatus in the country to intensify efforts to secure her release.

“We call on the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of the State to immediately intervene and save Dr. Ganiyat and reunite her with her family and colleagues.

“It is imperative to state that all health facilities (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary) across the state must be well secured, this will give all healthcare workers a sense of safety seeing that we provide essential humanitarian services 24 hours a day.

“The NMA is in the process of developing a security/kidnap prevention advisory for our members,” he said.

Speaking on the AGM and conference, the NMA Chairman said, “We must acknowledge that the challenges in the healthcare system are quite enormous and requires all hands to be on deck to tackle them and put us back on the right track towards a sustainable improved quality healthcare delivery system.

On the ongoing nationwide protests, the NMA Chairman urged its members to continue providing medical services, especially emergency services across the State.

He also advised its members to be security conscious and remain vigilant to prevent being caught up in any fracas that may arise from the protests.