X-Raying The Brain Drain Syndrome Among Nigerian Medical Personnel

DR UCHE DIALA

The brain drain syndrome did not start today and I can assure us that it is not about to end. So long as the ‘food is ready’ and ‘looking for greener pastures’ mentality continue, it will not stop.

It was there when I left school in 1995. The only reason I didn’t leave myself with many other of my colleagues back then was because I had more faith, confidence and belief in myself and in the nation. The system was no much better. Many of my mates left then.

All one needs to do is to objectively and factually check the condition of the medical/health sector in Nigeria, as bad as it is, and compare and contrast with those of neighbouring African nations and fellow developing nations and see how comparatively worse or better than Nigeria’s they are. Factually and evidentially, one might find out that as bad as Nigeria’s situation is and as better as it should be, I am not sure it is worse.

I am by no means saying that the state of our medical or health sector is good or acceptable or that there are not many issues that need to be addressed. NO. Not at all. 

But so long as we have medical personnel and professionals who see their profession only as a meal ticket and solely a money making thing; with zero appetite, willingness and readiness to give back to society and no sense of duty and patriotism to country, there is not much you can do to stop their queuing up to leave. There will always be reason to leave and they do not need any excuse other than they want a better deal a.k.a more financial reward.

They, and in fairness, like many other Nigerians do not feel they have any responsibility or duty whatsoever to contribute to building the nation or in their case to improving or building the health sector. It is the exclusive and sole responsibility and duty of the Government. So many of them would rather go to climes where ‘food is ready’ and the system already working; forgetting that it was citizens of those nations that made it so through patience and dedicated years of commitment, sacrifice and sweat.

By the way, this is the problem with later day African professionals at large. They largely think that they have educated themselves by themselves so their loyalty is to themselves and not to their country and they have no moral obligation to help build their nations. So they go anywhere else that they can get the most money for their expertise. 

I may not blame them but that is surely not the recipe to grow their home nations or Africa. If that mindset and mentality continue, I am afraid, Africa will remain in the doldrums, Nigeria inclusive.

All that said, I strongly urge the Nigerian Government at all levels to continue to ensure that medical personnel are getting the best they can under the circumstance, in terms of remuneration, welfare and facilities.

Finally, I give my humble shout out and appreciation to all Nigerian medical personnel, who have kept believing, stayed back home and remained patriotic; giving their best to the nation and fellow Nigerians; professionally and sacrificially without cutting corners, in spite of all the shortcomings.

#GodBlessNigeria

@Uche Diala