Kogi Doctors Advise FG on How to Reduce Brain Drain

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kogi State Chapter has urged the federal government to show more concern for the young doctors in Nigeria and do all within its power to motivate them in order to slow down brain drain syndrome that has gripped the profession because of harsh condition of service .

The Kogi State Chairman, NMA Dr Omakoji Simeon Oyiguh, who disclosed this yesterday in Lokoja in his address to mark this year Physicians’ week, stated that the motivation of doctors by the federal government, particularly the resident doctors will serve the nation better.

The Kogi NMA chairman therefore, called on the federal government to deal with the issues in the Memorandum Of Understanding(MOU) that was signed with NMA very dispassionately, in order to re-motivate the resident doctors to do their work for the benefit of the nation.

“We are looking forward to the year ahead that will demonstrate an improved and more responsive federal government that will improve health care delivery in Nigeria; while strengthening the Health system, taming corruption and insecurity that have become twin devils in common place in the Nigeria polity that are about to consume our nation”, he expressed.

Oyiguh added that the government should improve upon the work place of the physicians and ensure sufficient infrastructure to encourage practitioners to be happy doing their work in this underdeveloped economy ravaged by COVID-19.

While the NMA commended the Chief Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre Lokoja, Dr Olatunde Alabi, for the successful inauguration of the infrastructure for endoscopy at the Centre, the body looks forward to seeing more state-of- the- art medical facilities that will be able to serve the people of the catchment area more effectively.

The NMA therefore called on the Federal Ministry of Health to support the Chief Medical Director , FMC ,Lokoja by creating a better environment where he can deliver more effective healthcare service to the people in the catchment area.

Equally, the NMA noted the efforts of governor Yahaya Bello on the gigantic structure of the Referral Hospital, Okene, saying that the referral hospital is set to be completed and commissioned soon to address the health challenge of the needy.

However, the NMA stated that the body is looking forward to the government to develop capacity to employ and retain the appropriate cadre of healthcare professionals in their numbers in order to make the centre a world class hospital as intended and envisioned by the government.

In the same vein , the state NMA applauded the ongoing work at the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba, and satisfied that the project,if completed will address the infrastructural requirements for the accreditation of the Medical school in the institution.

“We wish to use this opportunity to call on our colleagues who are interested in academics to encourage the efforts of the Vice Chancellor and the Provost of the College of Health Sciences in the University by taking up employment, he said.