Nigeria Postgraduate Medical College to tackle brain drain

The issue of brain drain of medical doctors was the major focus at the 50th anniversary of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, held in Abuja.

The President of the college, Dr.Opubo Lilly-Tariah, says the college trains specialists who leave Nigeria to work abroad.

He noted that the college is working on improving the work environment for medical personnel to make sure that doctors stay in the country.

He also said that the college has a lot to celebrate for the fifty years, while looking forward to the future.

“The way toward is to consolidate on what we have done. We are also keenly aware that there is so much more to be done. It also means that we have be prepared to meet challenges of brain drain, of evolving diseases, of immigration but most of all to be able to serve the Nigerian people well. To do that, there has to be all round investment in both our quality and quantity” Dr Lilly-Tariah said.

He also said that the college started with research as a comer stone and has continued to invest in research.

“There are a lot of things we have and need to do all all these can only be done if we invest more on research”. He said.

The Nigerian minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, says government would continue encourage researches in the health sector.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Abdullaziz Abdullahi, said that the college has assisted in the training of health care providers in the country.

“The repositioning of the college for more effective training in line with the current trends will assist in the training needs of our college to international standards” He said.

In his keynote address, Prof. Nimi Briggs, urged graduands to take the issue of Universal Health Coverage seriously.

He also said that family planning in Nigeria needs to be addressed.

The Chairman of the occasion, Dr. George Esan, said that the college has stood the test of time and would continue to surpass expectations.

There were goodwill messages from the West African College of Surgeons and other stakeholders.

The theme of the conference was ” fifty years of postgraduate Medical Education in Nigeria: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects”.

Ime Njoku