Brain Drain In Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector

One of the greatest pandemic hunting our dearly beloved country, which is under the blanket is called brain drain. The pandemic has shattered the mind set and thinking of the upcoming generations in the sense that in no cause of time Nigeria will become deserted. Brain drain is the movement of health professionals in search for a better standard of living and life quality, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in different places worldwide.

Quite interesting since our dearly beloved country cannot provide all these for the health professionals, but there are little hitches, there is an old adage that says ‘’ to whom much is given much is expected’’. The government has provided the basis for our medical upbringing, they have set up strong bodies to guard our grooming/nursery centers to become professionals in the field, still why are we turning our back against them when we are made professionals, this was not their expectation.

If The Underdog Pandemic Continues, The Nation Will Become Extinct

Basically most Nigerian parents and guardians wants one of their children to become a medical practitioner with the aim of travelling abroad to broaden, expand and strengthen the economy of those country, while paying high taxes and huge chances of racism, forgetting the fact that most of our loved ones are based in Nigeria. If we the professionals run away who would stay back? Aren’t we meant to give what belongs to Cesar to Cesar? The strength of any nation depends to a large extent on its productivity and in turn depends on the well being of the population. If the underdog pandemic continues like this, the nation will become extinct.

What Are The Major Causes Of of Brain Drain?

One of the causes of brain drain is the long standing belief of young medical practitioners and their parents who thinks training outside their home country is superior and a mark of achievement and pride. The expectation of bigger income and the lure of high tech-training and super specialization. In addition poor management of the educational system and corruption associated with the government. Other causes of brain drain include;

1. Lack of employment in the health labour Market
2. Deteriorating state of health care in most developing countries.
3. Incessant Strike in Nigeria Tertiary Institution
4. Lack of Quality Education
5. Poor Salary Structure
6. Religious, Communal and Political Crises.

The Effects of Brain Drain In Nigeria Medical Field

Now on effects, brain drain leads to low economic output. It leads to collapse of the health care system which leads to death in most hospitals. It causes a nation to lose its pride and cause a heavy, destabilizing waves of uncertainty once any natural pandemic emerges.

The solution on brain drain in Nigeria lies firstly in the government and the need to create policies that have deep seated nationalistic base. This goes beyond increase in salaries because inflation in the unstable economy would wipe out the good salary structures. Some of the policies could include; creating strong research institutes, free education up to secondary school levels for children of medical practitioners, holiday allowances, seminars and research trips around the globe for each health practitioners, etc. In addition, parents have a huge role to play by sensitizing their children on the dangers of brain drain to the finger that fed them.

The Nigerian Doctor Might Just Prevent The Next Deadly Pandemic

Furthermore foreign bodies need to regularize the employment of health care professionals from developing countries. As of last year October, about 200 Nigerian doctors went to apply for job in Saudi Arabia when most local communities have no medical practitioners to attend to them but Saudi, has all the strength they require without those employment . There are some countries like Britain who resist employment of medical practitioners from common wealth countries, indeed a common goal. Permit me to say lets treat our health care professionals the same way our senators are being treated as the Nigerian doctor might just prevent the next deadly pandemic.

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In summary the government should choose between the people and their politics, the labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain!!!

Writer: Irikwu Joseph Ifulimre
BMLS(1)
Federal University of Lafia, Nassarawa State.

Joseph popularly known as Mario, is a Medical Laboratory Science student who is  passionate about writting. And he feels that, he could change  the maniac situation of Nigeria with his pen. His hobbies include, writing, playing soccer and most importantly sleeping. He is on the path way of discovering himself.