Address infrastructural decay, motivate health workers to curb brain drain, doctors in diaspora.
Nigerian doctors in the diaspora under the auspices of Concerned Medics Foundation have advised governments at all levels to address infrastructural decay in the health sector.
CMF will create training modules on patient safety, clinical governance, infection control and prevention techniques, critical care, safer surgery, mother and child health, and acute and emergency care.
Interactive virtual and in-person training sessions, as well as hands-on workshops, will be used to deliver the modules. We have a group of licenced physicians who are ready to take time off from their existing jobs in the UK, the USA, and other countries to travel to Nigeria and assist with ongoing training and service delivery. The government will be counted on to support the provision of security, lodging, and transportation.
The group while imploring governments to motivate health workers across the country, noted that this is necessary in order to curb the growing brain drain in the sector.
Statistics have shown that hundreds of health workers among whom are medical doctors, nurses, dentists and other allied workers among whom are social workers, physiotherapists and laboratory scientists have relocated abroad this year.
CMF President, Dr Halima Sadiya Gumi, while speaking during the handing over of a telemedicine machine to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna, said that one of the ways to reduce brain drain is for the governments to address infrastructural decay and motivate health workers who decided to stay in the country.
She said that the machine would help to improve healthcare of children in Kaduna state and beyond.
“Governments at all levels should address infrastructural decay and motivate health workers. This will help to reduce brain drain in the sector.
We are supporting healthcare in Nigeria, particularly as we are experiencing a massive brain drain. Our goal is to specifically see how we can support those doctors and healthcare workers who have chosen to stay and serve our country despite all odds.
CMF helps in the form of training and the use of novel ways for doctors like me in the diaspora to contribute to Nigerian healthcare. This Telemedicine machine is one of such innovative method in which doctors from around the world can connect and provide consultation, second opinions, or train local doctors in medical procedures and much more. These doctors in the diaspora are all volunteers and are experts in different fields of medicine.”
Dr. Sadiya Gumi who addressed journalists on Tuesday at the event held at Professor Tabari Telemedicine centre located at the department of paediatrics within the premises of the teaching hospital, insisted that Nigerian doctors in the diaspora were concerned about the rising brain drain across the country.
She said that one of the aims of the group was to support doctors and healthcare workers who have chosen to stay and serve the country despite all odds.
“The objectives are to promote sustainable activities and investments that strengthened healthcare delivery, improve workforce capacity and quality.
The goal is to improve the availability and quality of healthcare through providing education and training supporting healthcare workforce in low middle-income countries of Africa.”
“On behalf of CMF, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who generously contributed to making this a reality. We can now see that it was all worthwhile and hopefully will be of benefit, and instrumental in improving healthcare of children in Kaduna state and beyond. We could not have done it without you.”
