A Consultant Anaesthetist and Palliative Care Clinician, Isreal Kolawole has alerted that many of his workmates are leaving Nigeria.
Kolawole urged the Federal Government to save the medical sector from brain drain.
The Consultant at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The doctor said manpower was decreasing as those trained to take care of patients have been relocating.
Anaesthetists are specialist doctors responsible for providing anaesthesia to patients for operations and procedures.
Kolawole hinted that most Nigerians go to Saudi Arabia, America, UK and Canada.
“You cannot blame them. The government needs to make facilities available in our hospitals for health workers to practice what they know. They leave for many reasons, money is part of it, but job satisfaction is the ultimate thing,’’ he added.
Kolawole cited poor working conditions, poor pay, lack of medical equipment and insecurity among reasons medical and other professionals seek greener pastures.
He disclosed that the effect is already biting, warning that things may get worse when there are no more human resources.
The doctor said anaesthetists are in high demand globally and most countries do not have enough hands.
“Nurses, Doctors, Radiotherapies and other health practitioners are all leaving in drove. If I tell you how many of my colleagues who are specialist anesthetics that have left in the last three months, you will be surprised. It is as if we are training them for other countries.”
He noted that for 200 million population, and by the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard, Nigeria should have 200 radiotherapy centres.
Kolawole lamented that currently, there are only about 5 centres operational in the country.
