Experts Charge FG, Doctors to Halt Brain Drain

Sunday Ehigiator

In a bid to address the seeming decay in the healthcare sector, some experts have advised states, federal government and medical practitioners to address the challenge of brain drain and capital flight in the country.

Speaking at an event organised by EY, a global professional services firm, the Head and Partner, EY Transaction Advisory Services, West Africa, Olufemi Alabi, stressed the need to adopt the Indian model in the healthcare sector to address the challenges faced by the sector.

Alabi, also explained that the Indian model is focused on maximising the enormous benefits of digitalisation and technology, saying the Indian model works where medical practitioners go down to the hinterlands to provide medical services to the people even below the cost of what their counterparts collect elsewhere.

He further added that, “We at EY are not after the problems in the health care sector, but we are looking at the solutions and we are reassuring Nigerians that the untapped potential in the sector Cam be harness through a collaboration amongst stakeholders and the government.”

Speaking at the event, the founder of The Flying Doctors Nigeria, Dr Ola Brown, urged the federal government to prioritise the health of its citizens.

According to him, “Citizens do not have confidence in our health care sector, these have caused a fall in our Gross Domestic product(GDP) and inevitable loss of Life.

“The government at all levels should partner with private sector to make our medical services felt by all and sundry.

“Also the financial Institutions must be ready to support the health care sector to avert further decay in the sector.

Similarly, the Director, PharmaAccess, Dr Olamide Okulaja, tasked the federal government to strengthen existing laws in the health care sector and enact more policies and as well fund the health care sector in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.

According to him, “The government must know that Health care sector is a viable sector to invest in and make huge returns. It’s not a crime of Nigeria becomes a medical tourists centre in Africa and beyond, unfortunately most Medical practitioners who could not move out of Nigeria have dives into other profession because to them the Practise here is frustrating.

“The government must respect the value of Life and do everything to give its citizens the best, it’s high time our leaders stopped increasing the GDP of other countries through their medical tours. It’s even advisable to subsidize the sector like other sectors if we must improve quality health management system” he added.

Furthermore, the panellists called on the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to tighten its belt by ensuring that the Rights of Patients in Nigeria hospitals are enforced, especially The Right to Life.

They also called for the enforcement of Bill of Patients’ Rights in Nigeria as well as National Health Insurance.

They also called National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), Insurance companies, National Population Commission (NPC), National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) and other relevant government agencies to have up-to -date Data for use by investors, policy makes, planning and economic analysis.