Ondo remains most affected state in brain drain of medical professionals – NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ondo State chapter, on Tuesday stated that Ondo State is the most affected in the South West region by the brain drain of medical professionals.

The NMA, however, said that irregular salary payments had been one of the major factors contributing to the issue.

Stella Adegbehingbe, the state chairman of the NMA, who stated this while speaking with journalists in Akure to herald the Annual General Meeting of the Association, claimed that doctors and other healthcare professionals had been quitting in record numbers due to what she called unfavourable working conditions.

According to her, “the issue of brain drain is something that is very massive and it is not only in Ondo state. Though, Ondo state is the worst in the Southwest region and the National and the state body we have been on it in engaging the government.

“We could recall that at the beginning of my assumption in office there were several strikes because of the issue of salary and that was our appeal at the beginning that government should at least look for a way in addressing the health sector issues because once they start leaving it would be difficult to get them back.

“So, we have been engaging them, we wrote several letters and that has led to the exodus of doctors and they are still leaving and not only doctors alone, health workers generally.

“I have said several times that the only solution is the regular payment of salary. Colleagues are complaining bitterly, every morning I do receive calls on this and after they have made the complaints they will say Chairman I can’t wait again, I’m leaving and that is the main course.

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“We even said that we want to employ, but people were not coming because we are the only state in the Southwest region that is not been paid so they will rather prefer to go to other states like Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun among others and expect that is being addressed, it would be difficult for Ondo Government to get health personnel employed.

“We need people to use our facilities, the personnel to work is our major challenges now, once the personnel in all cadre is addressed, we will be able to work around.

“The battle of our members’ welfare in the areas of salary have not been met, and it is affecting everybody and we are praying that economy will be okay so that government will be able to pay our salary regularly.”

Adegbehingbe, who also spoke on the high number of death being recorded in teaching hospitals in the state said, “we have issues with personnel, another is that before the patient will be presented in the hospital, some would have used many things like wrong drugs.

“So when they come it is already a bad case. So we are appealing to people that once they have any health challenges, they should come to the hospital on time instead of trying to treat themselves.

“Also, health insurance can help, and the government is doing some things towards that, NMA has been on that for so many years.”