The Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals is concerned about the alarming high rate of healthcare workers leaving the country.
This was according to a press statement by the National President of the union, Dr Obinna Ogbonna and accessed by The Punch.
He explained that healthcare workers are leaving due to poor working conditions, lack of equipment, inadequate remuneration, and a desire for a better quality of life.
He said, “A lot of healthcare workers are leaving the shores of the nation due to non-availability of equipment, harsh environment, poor remuneration, better standard of living and life quality.”
According to him, the shortage has resulted to burnout among the remaining healthworkers who remain and sometimes leading to their collapse or death while providing care.
He stated, “This leaves a few professionals to care for too many patients thus, leading to burnout. The available healthcare workers collapse and sometimes die while giving care to patients. There is a need to circumvent the situation.”
To address this problem, the union will hold a national delegates conference with the theme, ‘Alarming brain drain in Nigeria’s health sector: Need for emergency rescue,’ in Abuja from June 19-23, 2023.
The conference aims to draw attention to the issue and urge the government to improve the health system to create a conducive environment for healthcare professionals.
In the words of Dr Ogbonna, “During the conference, people will see the need to cry out to the government to look into the health system and create an enabling environment for healthcare professionals to thrive in their duties for mankind.”
