2 weeks Ago By Patience Ivie Ihejirika
The West African College of Physicians has urged the Nigerian government and others in the region to provide enabling environment for young doctors. This, the college said was key to discouraging migration and bridging the health workforce gap in the region. Outgoing president of the college, Dr Rose Macauley, gave the advice while speaking at the opening ceremony of the college’s 48th Annual General Scientific Meeting (AGSM) in Abuja.
Dr. Macauley also urged the new inductees of the college to stay back in the country and contribute their quota rather than migrating to other countries. She said that “we in the college, we encourage ourselves to give back to our society, and not to go away”, stressing that such idea is the value of the college.
“We are encouraging the government to make available enabling environment particularly for our young doctors, that is the only way we can keep them in the country for them to practice and discourage migration. “This simply means addressing their personal issues, making sure that they have enough equipment in supply to enable them exercise their profession,” Dr. Macauley added.
The president elect, Dr Mamadou Mourtalla, described the brain drain syndrome in the West African region as a big problem that every government from the region needs to show concern. He lamented that the continent has a large number of committed and educated doctors, yet the go away to provide services to countries. The categories of the inductees includes Honourary Fellows and Membership of the college.
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