The federal authorities introduced on Sunday that 55,000 certified docs are within the nation to look after the rising affected person inhabitants following the exodus of healthcare employees to hospitals and healthcare services overseas.
It’s mentioned that the nation has misplaced about 15,000 to 16,000 docs to Japa syndrome up to now 5 years, whereas about 17,000 have been transferred.
The Coordinating Minister of Well being and Human Companies, Prof. Ali Pate, made this identified when he was a visitor on Channels Tv's Politics Right this moment.
Pate, who mentioned the mind drain syndrome has robbed the well being sector of its greatest palms, affirmed that the federal government is doing its greatest to develop the coaching program and encourage others who selected to remain again and serve their homeland.
The mind drain phenomenon, also called 'Japa', has led to a era of younger docs, healthcare professionals, expertise entrepreneurs and a few professionals leaving Nigeria for greener pastures overseas.
However the minister reiterated that whereas there are 300,000 well being employees in Nigeria, solely 55,000 of them are docs.
He mentioned: “There are presently about 300,000 well being employees working in Nigeria throughout all cadres. I'm speaking about docs, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and others. We did a survey and found that we now have 85,000 to 90,000 registered Nigerian docs. Not all of them are within the nation. Some are within the diaspora, particularly within the US and Britain. However there are 55,000 certified docs within the nation.
“The issue typically, by way of well being employees, is that there are usually not sufficient of them. They’re insufficient by way of ability combine. Are you able to imagine that the majority extremely certified skilled docs are in Lagos, Abuja and a few city centres? There’s a main distribution drawback.
“The full medical inhabitants is about 7,600 docs in Lagos and about 4,700 in Abuja. The ratio of docs to residents in Abuja is 14.7 per 10,000 residents. These are numbers you may confirm. In Lagos it’s about 4.6, though the common is 2.2 per 10,000.
“There are large distribution issues and these are in fact alternatives, even for some who’re skilled to enter the market. So you must have a look at it from a holistic perspective. Not solely docs, but in addition different executives who’re essential in delivering healthcare. So far as docs are involved, we now have misplaced lots of people who’ve been skilled.”
Talking additional, Pate emphasised that for the reason that oxygen of any severe healthcare sector is its human useful resource, Nigeria can’t afford to proceed dropping its greatest brains to the developed international locations.
Nonetheless, he admitted that Japa syndrome is a world phenomenon that additionally impacts different international locations resembling India and Pakistan.
In line with him, the nation has misplaced about 16,000 docs as a result of mind drain up to now 5 years.
“As for the Japa you talked about, it’s not simply restricted to Nigeria. It’s a international phenomenon. Different international locations don't have sufficient. They ask for extra. It's not simply in Nigeria. It occurs in India, the Philippines and different elements of Africa. Up to now 5 years, about 15,000 to 16,000 have been misplaced and about 17,000 have been transferred. We're barely making it. Due to this fact, increasing their schooling will make sense. The identical goes for nurses and midwives; they go away too. That's why increasing coaching is essential to make sure those that are nonetheless there are correctly skilled.
“However there are literally thousands of others that I used to be attempting to level out which are right here. And regardless of the chance to journey overseas, we didn’t go away and don’t respect them. I'll provide you with an instance. The top of the ICU of the Lagos College Educating Hospital, a really sensible gentleman. I met him in December and he mentioned, '4 of my colleagues have left' and I requested why he hasn't left. He mentioned, 'Look, that is my nation. I wish to serve as a result of healthcare is an trade the place motivation is inherent in those that select to work in it.” Individuals don't simply go in there as a result of they need a job. They go as a result of they’re intrinsically motivated and we should acknowledge and make the most of that.
“We’re starting to take steps to develop the coaching and work setting, taking some steps to encourage the salaries and earnings committees to do sure issues that can encourage them to really feel at residence. However even the problem of working hours that has arisen not too long ago, particularly for docs in coaching, is being addressed.”
“We’re starting to take steps to develop the coaching and work setting, taking some steps to encourage the salaries and earnings committees to do sure issues that can encourage them to really feel at residence. However even the problem of working hours that has not too long ago arisen, particularly for docs in coaching, is being addressed. It’s because when a few of their colleagues go away and so they keep residence, the burden just isn’t decreased. And they also work very onerous. We listened to that. We’re taking a look at how we are able to alleviate this and along with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria we’re taking a look at how we are able to put in place plenty of safeguards inside the code of ethics and pointers for the practitioner to make sure that they’re handled as precious property in order that they not burned out,” he mentioned.