The Secretary General Nigerian Medical Association Dr.Jide Onyekwelu has expressed sadness over the mass emigration of doctors in Nigeria for greener pastures. Dr. Onyekwelu in a press statement at a doctors conference in Awka with the theme of the conference is” Mass Emigration Of Doctors and other Health workers: The Origin, challenges and Solution’ urged the federal government to quench the drift by equipping the health sector.
The NMA scribe expects that the national budgetary allocation for health be beefed up to enhance the health care delivery system in the country. On his part, a former Awka Zonal chairman of the NMA Dr.Cyprian Afunugo called for the proper remuneration of doctors in Nigeria to match that of their counterparts in the developed countries.
Dr.Cliff Okafor an award recipient of the association and the one time assistant secretary general of the association in Nigeria, and in Anambra state expects the federal government to fund the health sector adequately if it wants the brain drain to stop or doctors will not cease to emigrate.
Dr. Okafor expressed delight that his award was predicted on his vast contributions towards improving health education in Nigeria and in ensuring stability in Nigeria by annihilating the plan to demolish over one hundred thousand building structures in Abuja some years back.
In a similar reaction, the Administrative secretary of Anambra state health insurance Agency Dr.Steve Onyemaechi encouraged young doctors in Nigeria to see their country as the best and practice their medicine in Nigeria.
On their part, the chief Medical director of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu teaching hospital Awka Dr.Joe Akabuike and the former Onitsha zonal chairman of the NMA another award recipient from the association, Dame Vivian Onwuekwe urged the federal government to revamp the health sector in Nigeria to check doctors brain drain.
Meanwhile, the Anambra state government has reassured medical doctors and other health workers within the state of her efforts to ensure that their working conditions reach contemporary standards. Speaking at the event, the Head of Service, Barr. Theodora Okwy Igwegbe, mni said that the state has fully implemented the CONMESS and reconstruction of three general hospitals in the three senatorial districts is ongoing. She noted that all will be equipped with state of the art medical equipment for improved service delivery.
She added that the state Government has also employed about 300 medical personnel to provide services in our general hospitals. The foremost Civil Servant appealed to doctors and other health workers to always remember the far reaching consequences of emigration and stay back to build our state and country with their expertise since a healthy nation remains a wealthy nation. Earlier in her speech, the Chairman, NMA Anambra State, Dr. Jane Nkolika Ezeonu thanked the governor of the state for the visible efforts he has been making towards improving healthcare delivery in the state.
