Former Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has called on the Federal Government to establish a National Health Service Scheme to engage newly licenced health workers for a fixed period of time in order to curb the menace of brain drain in Nigeria.
Fayemi made the call on Thursday in his keynote address at an induction retreat of the commissioner of health in Abuja with the theme, ‘Navigating Health Leadership from Promise to Impact’, organised by the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.
According to the former governor, “For health workers we have trained, there will be some kind of scheme, like National Health Service scheme for newly licenced health workers that would enable them to spend some time in a fixed period not limitless from three to five years.
He added: “Whilst you’re doing that your licence is held by the Nigerian Dental and Medical Council or a regulatory body that gives you that licence and once you’re done, you can decide you want to stay or you want to leave.”
He also recommended that any countries coming to recruit doctors or health workers from Nigeria must pay for the training of the substitution of outgoing candidates.
“For countries that want to come and recruit doctors from Nigeria, or health workers, you should pay for the training of the substitution.
“I’m worried about the entire health resource force that we have not just doctors, you must pay us. I would say the equivalent of training two doctors if you are taking one doctor out of our system.”
While illustrating further, Fayemi said, it is like tree planting. You go into the forest, when you do deforestation, afforestation must followed and afforestation must be encouraged.
“In fact, to regulate afforestation, for every tree you caught, you must replace it with two trees planted. You must give enough funding for training those two doctors.”
In her goodwill message, the United States Centers for Disease Control(USCDC) Nigeria Country Director, Dr Mary Boyd, while commending health commissioners, charged them to make sacrifices for the honor of serving, the communities from which they were born and raised and are connected.
Boyd said, “The chief goal must be to have a positive and lasting impact on the health outcomes of the most vulnerable members of our society.
“You have been appointed agents of change in your ecosystem- your visionary leadership, sense of mission, and political and persuasive competencies will be needed as you necessarily navigate the intersection of public health and clinical care to improve these health outcomes in your respective states,” she added.
Also, the World Health Organisation(WHO) country representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo said the health situation in Nigeria requires uncommon approaches to make a remarkable difference.
“With the ongoing increase in the burden of non-communicable diseases on the background of the high burden of communicable diseases, multiple outbreaks, and the highest out-of-pocket expenditure on health in the region, more Nigerians are falling into poverty due to ill health while many do not have access to the quality essential health services they need.
“As leaders of the health sector very close to the people, it is demanded of you now more than ever, to keep PHC high on the agenda of your governments and ensure priority investment in its development.” He said.
The UNICEF Deputy Country Representative, Ms Rowan Khan noted that there is ample evidence to show that achieving universal health coverage and SDG3 targets requires effective country leadership,
“This includes mechanisms for navigating the complexities of a pluralistic health system such as Nigeria’s and ensuring that everyone is working towards a common goal.
“Effective collaboration and coordination at the Federal and State levels is at the core of the kind of leadership required for Nigeria to effectively and sustainably address her multiple health system challenges.
“With a new government in place, now is the moment to reimagine the health sector for improved performance and outcomes.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Health Commissioners'(HCH) Forum, Dr Oyebanji Filani in his welcome address, disclosed that the aim of the retreat is simply to equip commissioners of health with the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundations necessary for good governance.
He also added that the aim is deeply rooted in the forum’s desire to bolster the capacity of Health Commissioners in the strategic, intersectoral, and socio-political management of health systems.
“Considering the change of leadership following the just concluded general elections, our focus is currently to equip the new cadre of health leaders with the tools and insights essential for effective governance.
“This retreat is critical as we transition from the fervour of electioneering to the practical responsibilities of governance, where decisions made today will shape the health landscape of tomorrow.”
He said the daily challenges faced by health commissioners are multifaceted, ranging from technical and administrative hurdles to navigating complex political landscapes.
He, therefore, said to surmount these challenges, commissioners need a profound understanding of the complex and dynamic healthcare landscape in Nigeria and this induction ceremony is designed to equip them with practical tools and insights necessary for addressing the challenges ahead.
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