• say welfare, infrastructure causing state to state migration
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The National Association of Residence Doctors (NARD) have appealed to governors under the auspices of Nigeria Governors Forum to halt the exodus of health workers not just outside the country but from state to state.
The President of NARD, Dele Olaitan made the appeal when he lead members of the association on a courtesy visit to the chairman of NGF and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the secretariat in Abuja.
According to Olaitan, the brain drain is affecting the improvement of healthcare delivery.
He noted that “Regardless of the equipment and facility in the health centers if we do not have the manpower to put these equipment to use for the benefit of our people, then it will amount to a waste of time and resources.”.
The NARD President revealed that medical doctors move from one state to the other because of welfare packages.
NARD President said, ” lThe major problems we have seen that are affecting the health care system and causing these disparities are mostly based on implementations of some basic welfare needs, and inadequate medical equipment in most states owned health institutions”.
He appealed to the NGF Chairman to charge the State Governors to equip medical facilities and do more to improve the welfare of the healthcare workers.
Olaitan said, “It is one factor to have our health workers leaving the country, yes the pull factors are heavy. But if you have healthcare workers moving from one state to the other, then there is an issue with the state they are migrating from.
“And that is what we hoping to solve. We are hoping that we can create a balance of whatever welfare and structure we have in these States.
“We need to empower tertiary healthcare institutions by getting them the manpower and ensure that this manpower doesn’t leave to other states.”
NGF Chairman in his response, admonished members of NARD to focus on the single goal of of improving humanity.
According to AbdulRazaq, “If we do not resolve our health issues we can never make progress as a nation. When somebody is ill, the person becomes immobile in all sorts of ways.
“The issue of brain drain has come to stay, we can’t stop it. What we need to do is to train more personnel. So we should be able to train our youths. We need to train more people to mitigate the drain.
“When it comes to the issue of hazard allowance, we will push our colleagues to make sure those allowances are paid. We will do our best to make sure every state increases the allowance to be at par with each other, he added.
The Kwara State Governor added, “On insecurity, we are aware that some patients vent their anger on the doctors when things happened. We will make sure we provide security at the facilities and counselors for the patients. Security is on the exclusive list, but the State Governments have to play their part in securing the facilities at the State level.”
He assured that the Forum will continue to push the bound to become strong in healthcare charged NARD to call them out and guide the State governors.