The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, has revealed that over 500 of its members have migrated from Nigeria to abroad for better working conditions.

The newly elected MDCAN president, Mohammad Aminu Mohammad disclosed this while reading a communique at a press briefing on Sunday.

The press conference was to mark the end of the Biennial Delegates Meeting, BDM, of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, held in Kano from Monday, September 4 to Sunday, September 10 where they elected new executive members.

The theme of the meeting was “Medical Education at a Crossroad: Challenges of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Education in Nigeria and Way Forward”.

Responding to a question by a journalist, Mr Mohammad, a professor, said the medical consultants are leaving the country in search of greener pasture because of the bad working conditions in Nigeria.

According to Mr Mohammad, had the Nigerian government not neglected the health sector, no medical practitioner would want to leave his dear country to work abroad.

He said the association could not ban the medical consultants from leaving Nigeria as, according to him, that is an issue that has to do with human Right.

“They are leaving because they feel that is better for them. If the is no improvement in the current condition, in terms of infrastructure, in terms of working condition, in terms of security, then it is very difficult to prevent medical consultants from leaving this country.

“By statistics at our disposal, over 500 highly trained consultants and doctors, including trainers of medical students have left Nigeria

“We are therefore appealing to the federal government to as a matter of urgency, address this problem by investing heavily in health sector. The government also should improve the welfare of medical doctors, aimed at tackling the brain drain in the country,” he said.

The president lamented that the brain-drain, known as Japa syndrome in Nigerian palance, has affected medical studies in clinical schools.

According to him, some departments are closing due to paucity of medical teachers that left the country, calling on the government to look into the problem and be proactive.

“The country has continued to produce the finest and highest numbers of clinical experts in sub-Saharan Africa, with our graduates both at the basic and postgraduate levels breaking records worldwide.

“Medical Education is under threat, mainly due to the large numbers of specialists and trainers migrating to other climes. A number of universities presently have less training quota than the manpower and infrastructure in the institution can effectively train.

“Lack of synergy between teaching hospitals, universities, and the regulatory bodies has contributed to failure to optimise potential for increasing the quality and quantity of both undergraduate and postgraduate training products.

“The existing poor infrastructure, inadequate research funding, and relatively poor remunerations are obstacles to optimal medical education. There is lack of sustainability of advanced medical care initiated by some tertiary and secondary healthcare centres in Nigeria.

“The BDM appreciates the Government for the release of the new circular on Clinical Duty Allowance and the EXCLUSION of the Clinical Officers from being affected in the new retirement policy for substantive directors. However, the BDM observed that most demands by the Association that warranted the ultimatum for industrial action were not met by the Government,” the communique reads.

By Mustapha Usman

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