Expert Proffers Solution To Brain Drain In Health Sector 

A medical expert, Dr. Ibrahim Wadah has decried increasing brain drain in health sector, saying in near future it will collapse the system if nothing is done.
Speaking on the topic “ Repositioning the Health Care System in Rivers State” Dr. Wadah at the just concluded Health Summit observed that the number of nurses and doctors is in the decline and spells doom to health care delivery.
He disclosed that as at today statistics reveal that one doctor attends to 1000 patients, one pharmacist to 50,000 patients.
With the growing population, Wadah said in the near future the few available professionals will be overwhelmed.
Without good manpower and welfare package, he expressed fears that more professionals will go offshore to seek for greener pastures.
For him, the formula to check brain drain is to improve welfare, pay package and other incentives that will encourage experts to stay.
In addition to that, he recommended that, “ we must integrate primary, secondary, tertiary healthcare system for it to be effective together with community healthcare system.”
This he maintained can be driven with up to date training and upgrading of facilities in health facilities.
The gynaecologist who is the Medical Adviser to Garki Hospital in Abuja praised the Rivers State Government for its milestones in health care delivery.
He urged other states to emulate the Rivers State example, lauding the governor for huge budget allocated to healthcare in the past seven years.

By: Kevin Nengia