Buhari mulls dialogue with doctors, nurses over brain drain

Buhari has disclosed Federal Government’s plan to discuss with doctors and nurses on ways of retaining the nation’s skilled workforce trained at great expense to the state.

Speaking at the second National Health Summit of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) yesterday in Abuja, the president lamented the migration of medical doctors in search of greener pastures.

According to Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the country loses about N70 million anytime a medical professional migrates to a developed country, adding that his administration is open to practical suggestions that would help in finding lasting solution to the problem.

He said, “We have a situation where human resource experts, trained and skilled at great cost to the nation (roughly estimated by the Nigeria Postgraduate Medical College at N70 million per fellow) are lost to our health system by migration to already developed countries. This is worrisome to stakeholders in the health sector and we welcome practical suggestions for finding solutions to this problem.”

Buhari observed that the country still had much need to strengthen her highly specialised Human Resource for Health, for expanded healthcare delivery, adding that his administration was test-running a Diaspora Healthcare Initiative that would help scale up the capacity of the workforce by the transfer and exchange of cutting edge knowledge and skills.