Brain Drain: Nigeria loses 13,071 doctors to UK in 4 years —Don
A professor of Medicine and Pulmonology, Abullah Abba,has said that no fewer than 13,071 Nigerian medical doctors have migrated to the United Kingdom between 2018 and now.
Abba made this known in Kaduna on Monday during a virtual conference as part of activities to mark the 2022 Physicians Week, organised by the Nigeria Medical Association.
In a paper titled,“Mitigating the impact of brain drain on human capital in health care sector,” he said six out of 10 doctors intended to leave the country or had already left.
He said that out of the 13,071, doctors who migrated, about 852 left in 2018, 833 left in 2019, 932 left in 2020, 1,347 in 2021 and 1,107 so far in 2022.
“We cannot control the pull factors but what do the numbers say about the increasing push factors?Corruption and nepotism, poverty and lack of economic growth are possible factors for brain drain.
“Institutions that experience high rates of corruption, unfair advantage and discrimination yield high rate of brain drain.
“Job insecurity, rising inflation, instability of economic forces, poor wages, poor health care facilities, worker burn out, push high skilled workers to identify better opportunities abroad.
“Majority of countries outside offer exceptionally high wages to doctors relative to other occupations.
“Financial security provides improved quality of life, better work environments, more technological advancement and a competitive work environment,” Abba added.
According to him, medical school reformation, continuous education and professional organisation are methods to mitigate migration of medical doctors.
He also said that improving administrative organisation, adapting to the curriculum and supplying of medical equipments/technologies for instruction, and eliminating the quota system, were necessary,
“Provision of scholarship to students, supporting training abroad opportunities and improving accommodation for students will encourage people.
“Government investment and management of health care facilities should provide a meaningful and conducive work environment that will promote a better quality of work life among the medical workforce.
“Checks and balances that hold both government and health care administration accountable for their actions and implementation, sustainable change in the health sector and a committed government that listens to the concerns of all Nigerians to better understand their needs,” he said.
Abba added that salary subsidy and other benefits would also help to mitigate the brain drain trend..
