2,000 doctors left Nigeria by 2022, says NARD

The president of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Orji Innocent, raised the alarm about the huge number of members of the association leaving the country for greener pastures, saying the association has lost more than 2,000 members in the past two years.

He said that if the situation is not addressed, it could degenerate to a point where Nigerians will wake up one day and find that there are no more doctors in the hospitals.

Innocent raised the concerns on Saturday while answering questions from journalists after presenting a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s conference in Uyo.

He said a survey conducted in December showed more than 2,000 members leaving for greener pastures.

Meanwhile, the association’s communiqué called for more budgetary financing of the country’s health care sector, amounting to a 15 percent annual budgetary allocation to improve the quality of health care.

The communiqué read in part: “The National Executive Council welcomes the commission set up by the federal government to combat brain drain in the health sector.

“The Association is urging the swift completion of the task and the immediate implementation of their recommendations to improve health care and reduce the emigration of skilled health workers from the country.

“NEC calls for increased funding of the country’s healthcare sector, at a 15 percent annual budget allocation in line with the 2001 Abuja Declaration on Healthcare Financing in Africa and global best practices, as well as the digitization of healthcare to improve the quality of health care provided to Nigerian citizens.”

The president said NEC urged the Chief Medical Directors of tertiary hospitals across the country to take responsibility for safety in their various hospitals as NARD would no longer stand by and watch as its members were assaulted by staff members, patients , relatives or security agents.

He said the association has called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate and arrest the perpetrators of the illegal shooting of one of its members in Delta and ensure they are adequately punished to deter others.