By Emegwoako C. Paschal
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret. ), claimed on Saturday that despite the exodus of medical personnel to foreign countries, his administration had improved the country’s healthcare infrastructure, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic’s outbreak.
On the wake of October 1, 2022, Buhari delivered his last Independence Day speech to the nation.
According to him, “we have witnessed and overcome a good number of challenges that would ordinarily have destroyed our nation” in the last few years.
“Fellow Nigerians,” the president said, “we have also improved our health facilities, particularly during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which drew praise from the global community.
“As you are aware, Nigeria was one of the nations that defied predictions about the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic because of our tenacity, dedication, and enthusiasm in managing the pandemic both individually and collectively.
“I share Nigerians’ pains, and I assure you that your tenacity and patience will not be in vain as this administration repositions itself.”
Buhari noted that the resilient nature of the Nigerian people had enabled the country to overcome its difficulties.
The president declared that his government is still committed to removing 100 million Nigerians from poverty within ten years.
Six out of ten doctors in the country intend to leave the country for “greener pastures,” according to the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors, despite Buhari’s boasts of improved healthcare facilities.
Dr. Alfa Yusuf, the NARD’s publicity secretary, described brain drain as a problem plaguing the health sector and expressed worry that, if nothing was done, Nigeria might have to start looking abroad for doctors.
In addition, databases obtained from the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom show that no less than 6,068 medical professionals have emigrated to the United Kingdom since the Buhari administration took office in 2015.
According to the data, 10,096 Nigerian-trained physicians had moved to the UK as of Tuesday, August 30, 2022.
Following India and Pakistan, Nigeria currently has the third-highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK.
Dr. Victor Makanjuola, the president of the Nigerian Medical and Dental Consultants Association, stated last week that 500 consultants had left Nigeria in the previous two years due to brain drain.
In an interview, Makanjuola stated, “We conducted a survey in our 82 chapters in March, and out of the 37 that responded, 253 consultants from various specialties have left the country in the previous two years in search of better opportunities.
“For some reason, the remaining chapters have not submitted their responses. We predict that over 500 consultants may have left the country in two years if 90 to 100 percent of all chapters respond.
“That’s our best guess, and it’s a major catastrophe for the nation,”
