By TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI
Dr. Iyke Odo, National President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), has urged the Federal Government to urgently address the brain wave in the healthcare sector before it gets out of hand.
Speaking as guest on Channels Television programme ‘Sunrise Daily’ monitored by DAILY INDEPENDENT, said giving the situation of things in the country, Nigerian doctors don’t care about moving to any foreign country as long as they are out of the country.
Speaking from his personal experience, Odo who has lost many doctors in his private firm to relocation abroad said brain drain may be the next cancer that will exterminate Nigeria’s health care sector
“I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that let nobody deceive us, if there was anytime that something should be done about brain drain, this is the time”.
” Let me just share my own experience. In my small facility, last year alone, I lost five radiographers to the United Kingdom (UK). This year, I have lost seven doctors to the UK. Two radiographers have gone and many have tendered their resignation”.
“As I speak, my gynecologist has his family out already. He has plans to leave, he is on annual leave now but he has planned to be given two months leave without pay to enable him settle”.
“They are leaving; everybody wants to leave. It’s as bad as the average Nigerian doctor, nurse or pharmacist closing his eyes and jumping into the next available plane. He doesn’t care where he lands, anywhere as long as he is out of Nigeria. It’s as serious as that” he said.
In one of my interviews, I made it clear that the next cancer that might exterminate the health sector is the brain drain. (Daily Independent)
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