The National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria has asked the Federal Government to declare a national emergency over brain drain in the country.
The college president, Dr Musa Borodo, made the call on Tuesday during a press conference ahead of NPMCN’s 39th convocation expected to hold on Thursday virtually.
Borodo urged the Federal Government to improve the working environment for doctors.
The PUNCH had reported that hundreds of Nigerian doctors, on Tuesday, August 24, arrived at Abuja, as a consultancy firm, Meeds Consultancy, commenced interviews for those willing to work in Saudi Arabia.
The firm organised the interview on behalf of the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health.
It was learnt that medical doctors in various fields such as anaesthesia, ICU, paediatrics and surgery, family medicine and others stormed the venue as early as 6.45 am.
However, the medical college president called on the doctors to be patient with the Federal Government, saying that ‘there is no place like home’.
He said, “However, it is sad to note that the intended impact of this effort (training) in our national healthcare delivery system is rapidly being lost to other, often more developed climes, due the escalating monstrous phenomenon of brain drain we are experiencing in our dear country.
“We accordingly urge the government to declare brain drain as a national emergency and urgently reverse it through improving job opportunity as well as improving the work environment of the doctors while we also dispassionately urge the trained doctors as well as those in training leaving the country to show more patience and understanding about the situation at home as things improve.”
He explained that the convocation would see the award of one distinguished fellowship, two honorary fellowships, 309 fellowships by examination from 16 faculties, 15 foundation fellowship from the Faculty of Emergency Medicine and 88 postgraduate MDs by publication.
He said, “Late Dr Stella Adadevoh, a fellow of the College in Internal Medicine is being awarded the distinguished Fellowship of the College, posthumously for her dedication to medical duty that costed her life, but in so doing saved Nigeria an epidemic of Ebola Virus in 2014.
“The other two distinguished personalities -Alhaji (Dr) Aminu Alhassan Dantata and HE Dr. Babagana Zulum, the executive governor of Bornu state -are recognised for College’s Honorary fellowship award for distinguishing themselves in leadership, administration, Captainship of Industry and philanthropy which have impacted positively in no small measure on the educational, socio-economic and health status of a large number of Nigerians.
“This year’s graduation ceremony brings to almost 7,000 the number of Fellows by examination that this College has graduated since its inception thereby saving Nigeria billions of hard currencies were these highly specialised doctors to be trained abroad as was the practice before the inception of this College.”
