Regina Otokpa, Abuja 
The Guild of Medical Directors (GMD) has advocated several measures that could be taken to ensure Nigeria does not lose all its health workers to the increased tide of brain drain in the health sector, which has grown to become a major concern.
According to the GMD, a practical adoption of a systematic approach which includes rehiring of retired physicians, increased funding of the health sector, exempting medical schools from strikes, was the only way to mitigate or reverse brain drain among healthcare workers who were in search of better working conditions and environment.
A communiqué signed by the national President GMD, Dr. Raymond Kuti at the end of the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and made available to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, noted that proactive concerted steps must be taken to bring back the large contingent of health workers in the diaspora, as they were a pool of great resource the nation could benefit from through skills transfer, mentorship, and the use of technology (telemedicine).
The communiqué further advocated innovative approaches including, “elimination of roadblocks such as licensing of doctors that discourage mid-level doctors from coming back to Nigeria even if for short stints or short periods, rehiring of retired physicians on retainership or contract basis to fill in the gaps created by doctors who have left the country and to also use their wealth of experience to mentor younger doctors.
