Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Chief Executive Officer of Nisa Hospital, Dr. Ibrahim Wada, has called on the government to intervene and halt the ravaging effects of brain drain on the health sector.
Wada, who was represented by Dr. Nabasu Ezra, made this call in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2023 World Cancer Day, which is themed “Close the Care Gap.
He stated that data from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, (NARD), showed that over 2,000 doctors left the country in 2022 in search of greener pastures abroad.
Wada said, “It is absolutely important that the world set out today to remember specific conditions. We are highlighting cancer today, to inform and remind people of the importance of screening ourselves so that we can treat them early and do something in terms of care.
“Awareness is important because when it (cancer) starts, nobody knows. When it starts, it may not start with symptoms, so people need to be aware so they can come for a check-up.
“The impact of brain drain in the health sector is grievous. It is something that we all know. The number of doctors keeps reducing every day and it means that if you were supposed to be in a queue for 30 minutes to see two doctors and only one doctor is available, the waiting time doubles.
“It also affects the quality of care. In some instances, you see doctors in specific specialties leaving without replacement. So government needs to look at this and know how to collaborate with various specialties and groups to reverse this trend.” \
He highlighted the efforts of the hospital in ensuring that doctors who leave are replaced, as it aims to close every care gap.
“Our goal is to see that we care for the patient the best way we can. So as people are going, there is an effort to replace whoever is leaving even though there is a competition in the market in replacing specialties,” he added.
He urged the media to take the awareness to the nooks and crannies to ensure that rural dwellers understand the importance of early screening and detection of cancer.T
