The outgoing Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti (FETHI), Ekiti State, Prof. Adekunle Ajayi, has called for a collective, multi-sectoral approach to tackle the growing menace of brain drain in Nigeria.
Prof. Ajayi described brain drain as a pervasive social challenge affecting virtually every sector of the country, driven by multiple and interrelated factors.
He made the remarks during his valedictory media chat held at the hospital, stressing that addressing brain drain requires the deployment of diverse tools beyond the health sector alone.
According to him, factors contributing to the trend include poor remuneration, weak staff retention policies, insecurity, poor road infrastructure, inadequate welfare packages and disruptions in the education system.
“These may include improved salary for workers, staff retention policies, improving security, improving road access, welfare packages and improving the quality of education, so that students can be in school without the fear of ASUU strike, among others. To mitigate brain drain, it will require a multifaceted approach,” he said.
Ajayi explained that expectations vary among professionals and citizens depending on their experiences and circumstances.
“For example, an average doctor or pharmacist may be demanding salary increases; for an average patient, it may be improvement in the work environment. A manager could be asking for unbundling of the system. Someone who has experienced kidnapping may call for improved security, while another suffering water shortage may require improved water supply to remain where he is,” he said.
“So, the approach to mitigating brain drain is multifaceted and not limited to what the Federal Ministry of Health alone can do. It requires the involvement of every facet of our society.”
Highlighting the achievements of his administration during his eight-year tenure, the CMD said his leadership was guided by a clear mission anchored on key pillars, including developing a high-quality medical system capable of attracting medical tourists from Ekiti State and beyond; driving organisational change through strategic engagement with unions and stakeholders; creating an enabling environment for prompt, reliable and uninterrupted medical services; and ensuring strict resource optimisation guided by strong managerial values.
According to him, these principles guided all activities of the hospital during the period under review.
Ajayi said his administration recorded significant achievements in staff welfare and management, including prompt and regular payment of salaries and allowances; upgrading and conversion of about 300 staff; creation of a procurement department with 10 officers certified by the Bureau of Public Procurement; restoration of rural posting allowance; adoption of an open-door policy across all cadres; expanded capacity building and academic advancement support; and sponsorship of over 300 health attendants for professional upgrading with 50 per cent tuition support.
Other achievements include large-scale renovation and expansion of clinical and administrative facilities; expansion of the Intensive Care Unit from four to 12 beds; improvement of internally generated revenue by about 1,000 per cent; revival of drug and laboratory funds; regular auditing of accounts; expansion of the hospital annex from two to four; and training of over 1,000 doctors from more than 20 institutions nationwide.
He also listed the approval of FETHI as a teaching hospital for the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) in 2023; absence of local industrial action throughout his tenure; provision of 90 per cent of the hospital’s energy needs and 100 per cent of its water supply internally; construction of over 15 new departmental structures; annual staff health awareness programmes; improved internal road networks; upgraded medical equipment; administrative reforms; and expansion of clinical services with a 30 per cent increase in consultant strength.
Responding to questions on medical tourism, Ajayi said it should not be attributed solely to lack of capacity or facilities in Nigeria.
“That some people decide to seek medical attention abroad does not mean there are no good health facilities in Nigeria. Medical tourism also depends on consumers’ choices. People may have their reasons, and that is not an indication that there are no good facilities in Nigeria to handle their cases,” he said.
He stressed that Nigerian doctors and health workers are among the best trained globally, noting that many Nigerians who seek care abroad often meet Nigerian professionals trained in the same local system.
“There is capacity. Nigerian doctors demonstrate their skills and expertise when they go abroad. So, it is not about lack of capacity,” he added.
While acknowledging that gaps in facilities still exist to some extent, Ajayi said significant progress has been made in recent years.
“There has been an unimaginable level of investment in the health system over the last few years. Our achievements were not funded by personal resources but through responsible utilisation of government funds. We must give credit to the Federal Government for recognising the infrastructure gap and committing to improving healthcare delivery,” he said.
Ajayi, who will vacate office on January 1, 2026, said he had laid a solid foundation for successive administrations to build upon.
“I introduced reforms that have improved the quality of service delivery. I am handing over a hospital that is more stable, more productive, more visible nationally and better positioned for future challenges than when I assumed office,” he said.
He added that he would return to personal capacity building to continue serving humanity in other capacities and expressed gratitude to the President of Nigeria for the opportunity to serve as CMD of FETHI.
