Brain Drain: Nigeria Heading For Serious Health Crisis, NMA Warns

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said the country was heading for a catastrophic Human Resource for Health (HRH) crisis, if the current rate of migration of medical and dental practitioners to overseas is not reversed.

This was contained in a communique issued at the 63rd Annual General Conference (AGC) and Delegates’ meeting (DM) of the NMA, held in Jalingo, Taraba State, between 30th April and 7th May.

The doctors tasked the government at all levels on better political commitment to healthcare financing and providing social amenities, saying these factors and others are key to reversing the on-going brain drain in the country and could turn the same into brain gain.

They called on government at all levels to urgently do the needful in addressing the various cases of violence against healthcare workers by declaring the ugly act as a national emergency requiring robust action.
“The AGC/DM specifically called on the National and State Houses of Assembly to pass protective laws to stop the violence and safeguard the rights of healthcare workers.
“The AGC/DM also directed the management of health institutions to develop appropriate protocols in identifying and handling potential cases of violence, develop effective communication strategy and promptly report cases of violence to the appropriate authorities for prosecution, “ NMA stated.