Brain Drain: ‘Shameful’ As African Countries Now Offer Nigerian Doctors $4,000, CMDs Tell Reps

The Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, Prof. Emem Bassey, on Wednesday, revealed that other African countries are now poaching Nigerian medical doctors and other health professionals.

He also said that countries like Sierra Leone and Gambia were offering them up to $3000 to $4000 which was about three to four times in the country.

Bassey, who is the CMD of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, said the health sector is currently undergoing a major crisis in terms of manpower as health professionals are leaving in droves.

He also said doctors often went on strike because the government often failed to meet unrealizable promises.

Bassey said this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee to probe employment racketeering in Federal Government agencies alongside the heads of other health institutions in the country.

He said, “Some African countries are also beginning to poach from Nigeria. The West Coast is looking for our specialists. So many people are now going to places like Sierra Leone and Gambia and the wages they earn $3000 to $ 4000. It is about three to four times what they earn back home. So we are beginning to see that people are leaving for other African countries too.

“The health sector is currently undergoing a major crisis in terms of manpower. What we are seeing is that medical specialists, not just doctors, even nurses, in fact, even more nurses are leaving. Doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers, and all manner of health professionals are leaving the country in droves.

– Adopted from PUNCH report