CHEI.......12 DOCTORS LEAVE NIGERIA EVERY WEEK for overseas - ARD

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) chapter, has raised the alarm that about 12 doctors leave Nigeria to practice overseas on a weekly basis. President of the Association, Dr. Michael Olarewaju, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while addressing reporters on activities lined up to mark the 2018 annual Health Week with the theme ‘Brain Drain: A Consequence of a Failing Health System.’

Olarewaju, who disclosed that less than 40,000 registered doctors were currently practicing in the country of about 190 million population, lamented that not only does majority of Nigerians lack access to quality health care, but over 88 per cent of doctors presently in the country desire to leave for greener pastures overseas. While citing poor pay, career advancement and insecurity as major reasons behind the mass exodus of doctors from Nigeria, he further noted that the workload of treating a large number of patients per doctor was becoming unbearable, leading to situations where doctors were being overstretched and thus lack capacity to function optimally to provide adequate health care for a teeming population of patients in dire need of health services.

“Nigeria has about 80,000 doctors fully registered with the Medical and Dental Council, but less than 50 per cent of these currently practice in Nigeria, which has led to a precipitous decrease in the doctor-patient ratio and hence, majority of Nigerians do not have access to quality healthcare, thus putting them at the mercy of sub-standard care from quacks.

“It has been estimated that at least 12 Nigerian doctors leave the shores of this country for greener pastures in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates on weekly basis. “The NOI polls stated that 88 per cent of doctors currently practising in the country wish to relocate from the country.

This is an alarming tide because the country is losing a lot in human and financial resources to other countries. “The relocation of one doctor from the country affects 5,000 citizens, denying them access to quality care from a trusted medical practitioner. “In the FCTA, a lot of colleagues and members of our noble association leave for greener pasture on a daily basis. A few that I know personally left within the last two months and many more are writing foreign licensing exams all year round. Doctors are leaving the FCTA in droves,” he said. Olarewaju, however, maintained that the mass exodus of doctors in search of greener pastures could be controlled if the country puts its priorities right.