How brain drain is affecting our mandate — Osibogun

The President, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Prof. Akin Osibogun, says the major threat to the college’s mandate of producing more specialist medical manpower is the ongoing brain drain in Nigeria.

Osibogun made the assertion at the 40th convocation ceremony of the medical college, on Thursday, in Lagos.

“This has resulted in the decline in the number of candidates applying for our fellowship examinations.

“This will also affect the availability of medical specialist manpower as well as availability of medical teachers in the country.

“If we do not address the problem urgently, it may create a spiral in which the inadequate manpower will be compounded.

“We need to put in place mechanisms to train more and mechanism to retain manpower through improved work climate and conditions of service.
including financial and non- financial incentives, “he said.

Osibogun said that there were 8,453 resident doctors in various federal accredited training centres who were at different levels of training.

“If we add another 1,500 in accredited state and private centres, we will have a total of about 10,000; after factoring in the average duration of training, we with realise that we need to train more.

“Today, we will be recognising 416 medical and dental specialists who have fulfilled all training requirements for the award of the fellowship by examinations.

“Also, we have three fellows of the college who have distinguished themselves in service to the college and country, and one non-medical person, who has shown an uncommon passion for healthcare development.

“In addition, there are also 63 graduands of the postgraduate medical and dental programme and 14 Postgraduate diplomats in Anaesthesia,” he said.

Osibogun implored all graduands to continue to represent the college well in whatever position they found themselves and be worthy ambassadors of its ideals, both in character and learning.

“Our college’s Motto is ‘To serve Humanity’, I trust that you have already adopted it as a guide to all your actions.

“I call on the management of TETFUND to recognise the volume and quality of health research that is ongoing with this medical college,” he said.

Dr Victor Makanjuola, President, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), urged the Federal Ministry of Health to come up with a policy that would stem the tide of brain drain in Nigeria.

Makanjuola appealed to the graduands not to the leave the country immediately after the ceremony but stay back to contribute to the health system in Nigeria.

“This medical college has able to sustain and continue to improve health human power in the country,” he said.

It was reported that Aare Afe Babalola was recognised with Honorary Fellowship award for his commitment and investments in the multi-system hospital and medical school at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti.