Brain-drain: Group appeals FG to address menace

The Nigerian Union of Allied Health ProfeBssionals (NUAHP) has appealed to the Federal Government to address brain drain in the health sector. The NUAHP National President, Dr Chimela Ogbonna, made the appeal in an interview with the Newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

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Ogbonna reacted to disclosure of a four-point agenda by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, and the Minister of State, Dr Tunji Alausa, to improve healthcare for citizens.

According to him, the country’s health sector is facing human resource and financing gaps which impact on patients’ experiences, health outcomes and healthcare service delivery.

“The number of healthcare workers leaving the country is high and creating a huge gap in the health system. Urgent attention must be given  this issue because the country’s population is increasing; so is the need for more health professionals to be available,” he said.

He said that the four-point agenda showed that the nation’s health indices had been nose-diving.

The association president said that more efforts should be made to ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of healthcare  services  for  all citizens. According to him, resilient public health systems can prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats.

Ogbonna appealed to governments to improve budgetary allocation to the health sector to align with the 15 per cent Abuja Declaration. He also called for more training for managers of public health facilities on funds management to improve efficiency.

Wumi/NAN