General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Emmanuel Ugboaja has described the twin problem of brain drain in the health sector and medical tourism as factors that will finally finish the ruminant of the country’s already crippled healthcare delivery system.
Ugboaja was joined by the President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Michael Nnachi to raise the alarm at its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
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The NLC leader is meeting nurses outside the hospitals to discuss issues bordering on their welfare and challenges before Nigeria’s health sector
The increasing brain drain among healthcare professionals, especially nurses appears more worrisome to these labour leaders.
In a May 2022 report of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of the United Kingdom, no fewer than 7,256 trained Nigerian nurses relocated to the United Kingdom between March 2021 and March 2022.
More disturbing, is the revelation in 2021 by NANNM that about 4,000 nurses left Cross River State alone for greener pastures.
For these nurses, health reforms like the creation of the Department of Nurses in the Ministry of Health and prompt payment of salaries as well as hazard allowance can help resolve issues of industrial actions and brain drain.
While these nurses vow to remain back in their motherland to ensure its health sector prospers, they continue to appeal for increased political will to make the Nigerian economy, work optimally.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
