Nigerian Government to curb brain drain of medical doctors- Minister

The Nigerian Government is renewing its focus on discouraging the outflow of Nigerian health workers, especially physicians, overseas.

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The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, disclosed this at the inauguration of the annex of the Federal Medical Centre and Research Centre, on Sunday, in Akure.

He said that the Federal Government was working assiduously to discourage the brain drain of doctors from the country, by committing to build a healthy system that would guarantee universal access to comprehensive, efficient, affordable, adequate, equitable, and quality healthcare for all Nigerians.

“The Federal Government has plans to fund hospitals across the country, as well as to motivate doctors and other health workers, to make such migration unattractive,” he said.

He further revealed that the plan would also help to discourage medical tourism.

“One of it is the remuneration and I want to repeat it here that no amount paid to any health worker will compensate adequately, looking at the hazards they are exposed to.

“We are working together on how to increase and put in place a hazard allowance that will show we appreciate what they are doing.

“And do not forget that the Medical Residency programme is free, you need to know how expensive it is abroad, but we are now giving it free to our Resident Doctors.

“We also have an insurance scheme in place, which everyone on the payroll of government is entitled to. We are doing everything possible just to raise the compensation,” he said.

On the inauguration of the health facility, he noted that it was not the size of the structure that mattered, but its functionality and capacity to deliver the services for which it was built.

MTO/Punch