Doctors to Akeredolu: Engage retired medical practitioners to address ‘brain drain’ in Ondo health sector

To put an end to ‘brain drain’ in the health sector of Ondo State, the state government has been advised to engage the services of retired medical practitioners to address the shortage of workers in government hospitals

This advise was handed down by a consultant obstetrician at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital UNIMEDTH, in Ondo, Dr. Lawal Oyeneyin, who expressed worry over increasing cases of doctors and other healthcare workers leaving the state and the country for greener pasture.

Speaking during the 9th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria ,(MDCAN) Ondo state, with the  theme: Strategic Approach to Impactful Healthcare Policy Formulation, Development and Implemention: A Workable Template For Ondo State, noted the myriads of challenges bedeviling the health sector in the country.

Oyeneyin admitted that the state is facing serious manpower challenges, saying best brains in the state health sector are retiring at the age of 60, but appealed to the state governor,  Rotimi Akeredolu, to consider giving  special consideration to medical professionals

The Senior lecturer at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, said this can be achieved through a bill that will give legal backing to the proposed new retirement age for health care professionals.

Oyeneyin added, “The best brains are retiring at the age of 60. Why can’t we compile the names of the retirees in all the related health Ministries and bring out a contract employment  those of them that are still willing to work?

” We need to come up with a temporary policy  to tackle the crisis we have in our hospitals. It is going to get worse if we don’t address it. We are experiencing shortage of healthcare professionals.

“We must find a way to retain the ones that are here now as well as manage the shortage of staff.

” We need to increase the age of retirement, so that health care workers are given special consideration unlike the rudimentary civil servants where the retirement age is 60 years  or 30 years of service.

“Rather than allowing our experienced and capable hands to leave the system compulsorily at the age of 60, we can extend the age to 65 or 35 years of experience so that we can mitigate against the gap that is taking place.

“We shouldn’t wait till the system collapses, we need political will of those that are heading the system to address different challenges in our hospitals.

Speaking on the theme: Nigerian politics: the process, prospects and the involvement of doctors, a former member of the Lagos state house of Assembly,  Jibayo Adeyeye urged medical doctors to take charge politically saying they cannot afford to sit on the fence.

According to him, medical doctors have critical roles to play in changing the country’s narrative by contesting for different elective positions.

He said, “‘Doctors should stand up to take their rightful place in the political landscape. We should not sit on the fence but be actively involved in the scheme of things by showing interest in different elective seats”

Adeyeye, who is the Special Adviser to the Governor on Strategy, Political and Legislative Matters, charged party members to always give necessary support to their representatives instead of giving then uncessary burden.

“Throughout the time I spent in the Lagos state house of assembly, only one person presented to me what his community needed. Many were asking me for assistance in different ways”.

The new Chairman of MDCAN, Dr, Ramon Sunday Omotayo, in his acceptance speech,  promised that special attention would be given to the welfare of members to ensure their entitlements are paid on time.

He said, “I am going to do my best with the support of other executive members to bring rapid development to MDCAN

“The welfare of members will be given special attention and we will ensure we do everything to protect the interest of our members”, he assured.

Others officers of the association who emerged include, Dr. Ayodele Stephen Adewole, the new Secretary.