Healthcare workers who left Nigeria for greener pastures might soon be enticed back, according to the federal government.
Specifically, the federal government says it is necessary for them to return to contribute to the development of the health sector.
This was disclosed by the special adviser to the president on health, Dr. Salma Anas-Ibrahim.
Anas-Ibrahim made this known at the joint World Health Organisation stakeholders’ feedback workshop on the evaluation of the third WHO-Nigeria country cooperation strategy (2018-2022), and development of the fourth WHO-Nigeria cooperation strategy (2023-2027).
“We are all aware that Nigeria is currently affected by the brain drain but even prior to the brain drain, our human resources are grossly inadequate, we are not yet there. So, efforts will be made towards ensuring that we address issues and enhance the capacity of our training institutions, both private and public sector to step up action and leverage all opportunities that will guarantee sustainable human resources for health at all levels of our healthcare, particularly at the primary health care level in our communities.
“Efforts are ongoing to address a lot of the issues including having one-for-one replacement immediately to replace those that have exited and efforts are ongoing to ensure that we have motivated, vibrant health workers that are retained and those that want to come back can come back and contribute to the health sector development,” Anas-Ibrahim stated.
he disclosed that President Bola Tinubu’s health sector agenda, tagged “Healthcare: A matter of right and urgency” of the All Progressives Congress, APC’s, “Renewed Hope” mantra has an action plan for a better Nigeria.
“This government shall address the lingering nation’s health healthcare challenges including inadequate health infrastructure, fragmentation, an overburdened workforce, poor insurance coverage, high maternal mortality, inadequate preventative care, and dependence on imported medicines, commodities, equipment, and vaccines.
“There will be a governance and leadership structure for the health sector which makes it more responsive and accountable with proper coordination and alignment mechanisms across the levels of care that has both political and institutional commitment. There will be health financing through increased budgetary allocations to high-impact health interventions and national health insurance cover for at least 40 per cent of the population in the first two years of the administration that would be augmented with the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and Vulnerable Group Fund,” she said.
