The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, says brain drain challenges will take the centre stage at its 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for Dec. 14.
The association’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Abimbola Olarenwaju, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
Olarenwaju said the AGM would address the problem of brain drain affecting the economy, particularly the health sector.
She said that the rate of migration of the younger population to ‘greener pastures’ had been processed to be a contributory factor with the much older population left to fend for themselves.
”The theme of this year’s AGM is: “Geriatric Abuse and Depression; a Consequence of ‘Japa’ Fever?”
”The UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency said earlier in the year that the number of Nigerian students in the country rose by 69 per cent. The rate of international air passenger movement in Nigeria has risen by 91 per cent.
”Therefore, the aim of the conference is to discuss the ravaging effects of massive migration of young people out of the country on their elderly dependents
”While proferring practical approaches to mitigating the effects of brain drain of the medical professionals on the health sector from the various perspective of human capital resourcing as well as cost benefit analysis of reducing the exodus,” she said.
Olarenwaju said that the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) had revealed doctor-to-patient ratio of one doctor to 4,000 to 5,000 patients instead of the one doctor to 600 patients ratio recommended by the World Health Organisation.
She also that the AGM would be attended by seasoned professionals, policy makers, media representatives and government representatives.
