Appolonia Adeyemi 
The President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN). The President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Mohammad Mohammad says the health sector has lost close to 1,000 consultants in the last five years.
He also said more than 500 consultants would retire in the next five years. These are in addition those that will emigrate during the same period.
The Chief Consultant Paediatric Surgeon said: “In most hospitals, you commonly find units that are closing because of brain drain and the strength of almost all the units in our hospitals has reduced by half.
“All these are affecting patients’ care, leading to prolonged waiting time, less attention due to overload, as well as resulting in a reduction in the quality of care given to our patients.”
Mohammad said the emigration of skilled human resources for health, especially medical and dental specialists, is of great concern to the country and healthcare workers.
He said: “It is of great concern for our members because there is a lack of trainers at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of medical education. There is a dwindling enrolment of the trainees into postgraduate training.
“Therefore, there is a mass exodus of all cadres resulting in overworking of those remaining while leading to burnout and reducing productivity; some hospitals are closing some wards for lack of personnel to man them.”
He added: “Patients waiting for elective procedures have increased.
“These are reducing job satisfaction and morale of those that remain in the system.
“We have been asking the government to increase the retirement age of consultants to 70 and other health workers. This will enable the system to benefit from the wealth of experience, pass on the skills they acquire over time, and train medical students.
“To pay the trainer of medical and dental students with a medical and dental salary scale, will encourage them to stay and support the government policy of doubling the admission quota of our medical and dental schools.”
According to the MDCAN President, the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) salary and its allowances is in tune with the current economic realities.
He also said providing mass land and housing for health care workers, soft loans and improvements in the current security situation in the country will go a long way in steaming the migration., Mohammad Mohammad says the health sector has lost close to 1,000 consultants in the last five years.
He also said more than 500 consultants would retire in the next five years. These are in addition those that will emigrate during the same period.
The Chief Consultant Paediatric Surgeon said: “In most hospitals, you commonly find units that are closing because of brain drain and the strength of almost all the units in our hospitals has reduced by half.
“All these are affecting patients’ care, leading to prolonged waiting time, less attention due to overload, as well as resulting in a reduction in the quality of care given to our patients.”
Mohammad said the emigration of skilled human resources for health, especially medical and dental specialists, is of great concern to the country and healthcare workers.
He said: “It is of great concern for our members because there is a lack of trainers at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of medical education. There is a dwindling enrolment of the trainees into postgraduate training.
“Therefore, there is a mass exodus of all cadres resulting in overworking of those remaining while leading to burnout and reducing productivity; some hospitals are closing some wards for lack of personnel to man them.”
He added: “Patients waiting for elective procedures have increased.
“These are reducing job satisfaction and morale of those that remain in the system.
“We have been asking the government to increase the retirement age of consultants to 70 and other health workers. This will enable the system to benefit from the wealth of experience, pass on the skills they acquire over time, and train medical students.
“To pay the trainer of medical and dental students with a medical and dental salary scale, will encourage them to stay and support the government policy of doubling the admission quota of our medical and dental schools.”
According to the MDCAN President, the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) salary and its allowances is in tune with the current economic realities.
He also said providing mass land and housing for health care workers, soft loans and improvements in the current security situation in the country will go a long way in steaming the migration.
