Plateau Doctors Decries Looming Brain Drain in Health Sector,  3 Months Salaries

From Daniel Dauda, Jos

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Plateau State Branch, has decried the worsening brain drain ravaging the health sector in Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the sector to forestall the reoccurrence of the ugly train in the country.

The Union revealed that since 2015 doctors in Plateau State continued receiving half wages as they owed Government three months’ outstanding salaries, and urged critical stakeholders in the health sector and other well-spirited individuals to “intervene now and not to blame doctors later.”

Plateau State branch chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Bapiga’an William Audu made this known while addressing newsmen in Jos, Monday, as part of the activity to mark NMA week nationwide 2022, titled physicians’ week, Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system and the 2023 Democratic transition: A time to change the narrative.

He said the dwindling human resource for health in Nigeria and health sector reforms in the face of emerging public health threats, ” was chosen as a continued reminder to our government that things are falling apart in the health sector. The era of blind loyalty is over!”

In his words:” the Government is currently owing our doctors three months of salaries and this is coming against the background that doctors on the Plateau have been enjoying a fraction of the consolidated salary structure. They have been taking 80% home since 2015. And we have been advocating Government to see the urgency and the essence of these challenges especially the worsening brain drain that we are facing as a Nation.

“We are calling on our elders, statement, and persons of goodwill to speak to the government to stop this injustice against Nigerian doctors particularly here on the Plateau.

“We are aware that the government wants to employ more hands in the health sector, and we are totally happy with that. But we have the human resources that are of help but yet are faced with challenges that are yet to be addressed. We have our colleagues living almost in unhabitable conditions working with the government, and we are also saying that health cannot exist in isolation.

“The progress and development of the healthcare delivery system in the state should go side-by-side with other critical sectors like; security, housing, education, water supply etc. For your information, Plateau State is one of the three states with the highest number of open defecation in Nigeria and that is why all these common diseases like cholera and typhoid continue dealing with us.

“In addition to this, the Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced payment of an allowance for medical and dental health practitioners across the country, we are calling on the Plateau State Government to domesticate this policy and see to its implementation”, he hinted.

The chairman while sympathizing with flood victims nationwide on behalf of NMA National President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah charged Federal Government to actively initiate measures to avert another flooding.

He said, “We have from our meager resources sent some relief materials to Bayelsa State which was worse hit; we also encouraged our branches in affected states to roll out medical outreach programs and sent solidarity messages to the state Governors and dignitaries in the affected states.”

On the 2023 general elections, he challenged Nigerian citizens to respond to the call of Nigeria for good leadership and should never for pecuniary benefits sell or support candidates that cannot move Nigeria forward.