Brain Drain: Nigeria left with only 6,000 medical consultants, says medical association

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has disclosed that only 6,000 consultants are left in the country indicating that about 1,300 consultants left Nigeria in the last five years

Penpushing reports that President of the association Dr Muhammad Mohammad, made this known during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting themed “Policy Making for Quality Healthcare Services: Engaging Policy Makers for Quality Healthcare Delivery”, in Ilorin, Kwara State Capital.

The President pointed out that as of February 2024, only about 6,000 consultants were left in the country, lamenting that the number will continue to dwindle as the retirement age for medical consultants is 60 years.

“About 1,700 consultants are above 55 years of age, this means that in the next five years they are going to leave the services for retirement. You can see that the replacement cannot keep up with the loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and from retirement’, he said

Penpushing further reports that Mohammed emphasised that the number of consultants would continue to reduce as long as the country produces only one or two per annum, however, commended the government for its efforts to solve the challenges.

The President of Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) stated that the association hopes consultants can serve up to 70 years while other healthcare workers will continue to serve up to 65 years.

Penpushing also reports that he noted that such a move would ensure that medical and dental consultants who remain in the country continue to give their expertise in the health field, as he appealed to the government at all tiers to ensure medical lectures are placed on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), addressing disparities in their emoluments.

The association boss called on need where the medical practitioners will have an environment where they will be able to practice and deliver the best quality healthcare in Nigeria.

Penpushing reports that, the Commissioner for Health, Kwara State, Amina El-Imam, in her remarks said the theme of the meeting was apt, noting that appropriate policies were critical to assist the government in delivering quality healthcare to citizens.

The commissioner pointed out that policies must be targeted toward the right segments, domesticated to the peculiarities of the state or nation, and effectively disseminated to the end users, stating that all of these contribute towards ensuring that the life and health of the people are safeguarded.

Penpushing reports that the Guest Speaker, Amos Magaji, a lawmaker representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the 10th National Assembly, in his presentation underscored the importance of policymaking in healthcare delivery.

The guest lecturer said healthcare is fundamental to life, noting that policies like the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will ensure that Nigerians are captured for healthcare services.

Penpushing further reports that in similar vein, a consultant in Public Health at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Tanimola Akande, advised doctors to focus on their health and well-being, and underscored the need for self-care, regular and comprehensive examinations and exercise.

The Chairman, Local Organising Committee, MDCAN-NEC meeting, Kazeem Ibrahim, in his remarks said that innumerable policies have been formulated in the past without significant impact on the health of many vulnerable citizens.

Penpushing also reports that Ibrahim noted that the meeting would proffer solutions to the challenges and the ‘Japa’ syndrome, pushing health workers to migrate from the country due to abysmal working conditions.

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