Kogi NMA raises alarm over mass exodus of doctors

The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Friday raised alarm over what it described as mass exodus of doctors due to poor welfare and other challenges bedeviling the health sector in the state. State chairman of the association, Dr Kabiru Zubair raised the concern at a news conference to mark the […]

The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Friday raised alarm over what it described as mass exodus of doctors due to poor welfare and other challenges bedeviling the health sector in the state.

State chairman of the association, Dr Kabiru Zubair raised the concern at a news conference to mark the 2018 NMA’s Physicians’ Week, themed: “Universal Health Coverage: Leaving No One Behind.”

According to Zubair, the welfare of our members in the last one year has nose-dived due to poor remuneration, outright non payment, irregular payment, underpayment, poor working conditions and lack of healthcare infrastructure.

He said the situation had resulted into mass migration of doctors in search of greener pastures and the resultant brain drain in Nigeria Health Sector.

“In the last nine months alone, 27 doctors have resigned from the Kogi State Specialist Hospital (KSSH), Lokoja, including two consultants.

“Forty four (44) have resigned from the State Hospitals Management Board (HMB) and eight from the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba.

“As at today, a total of 79 doctors have left Kogi Civil Service.

“More doctors are just waiting for the next available opportunity to leave. The consequences are worsening healthcare indices in the state.

“The vacuum created will ultimately be filled by medical quacks to the detriment of our people and no level of policing can stop it,’’ the chairman said.

Zubair said that doctors who were at the forefront of the struggle for better welfare for health workers had lost the zeal to fight-on, saying the only available option left was to leave the state civil service.