Brain drain hits LUTH, 20 doctors resign in a year

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) chapter has raised the alarm over the brain drain in the institution due to poor welfare.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday, the association’s president, Dr. Akinkunmi Afolabi, disclosed that about 20 doctors of the LUTH branch have left the nation’s foremost teaching hospital in the last one year.

According to him, lots of other doctors are processing their exit from the teaching hospital. “As I speak people are in different stages of the processes of leaving the hospital,” he said.

Afolabi regretted that more than half of doctors in some departments of the institution have left for greener pastures either in the United Kingdom or the United States.

The Guardian, however, learnt that resident doctors in LUTH have only been paid part of their salaries since January 2014, while resident doctors at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos have been receiving their full pay.

“We are mindful of the economic situation in the country, because it would be a big blow to the public if we embark on another strike as lots of people would not be able to access private healthcare,” Afolabi stated.

He therefore appealed to the hospital management and relevant stakeholders to look into the salary issue to avert any impending strike.
The Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Olufemi Fasanmade, who spoke to The Guardian on phone said salaries come from Abuja.Fasanmade said: “There is no slash in salary, else we would be in jail. It is misinformation and mischief.”
Salaries come from the Central Bank of Nigeria. LUTH and other federal hospitals don’t pay salaries. LUTH residents who are entitled to skipping have been paid, but others not entitled want to be paid.”

“As we speak many teaching hospitals nationwide have not paid October salaries, some haven’t even paid September. Not because the hospital didn’t pay, but because there are no funds from government at that time. So, no CMD has the power to slash any salary. It is mischievous for residents to say their salaries were slashed, I will say no further,” he said.