Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, Prof. Emem Bassey, yesterday, said Nigerian doctors now earn between $3000, $4000 in S.Leone, Gambia as health sector continues to face manpower crisis with professionals leaving the country in droves.
According to him, other African countries are now poaching Nigerian medical doctors and health professionals.Bassey, who is the CMD of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee probing employment racketeering in Federal Government agencies.
He showed up alongside the heads of other health institutions in the country.
Bassey noted: “Some African countries are beginning to poach from Nigeria. The West Coast is looking for our specialists. So many people are now going to places, like Sierra Leone and Gambia, and the wage they
Explaining the manpower crisis, Bassey told lawmakers: “What we are seeing is that medical specialists, not just doctors…In fact, even more nurses are leaving. Doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers and all manner of health professionals are leaving the country in droves.”
He stressed: “That is part of the problem we are facing. Replacement of these health workers is a very major challenge. This is because even though we are usually granted approvals to recruit, getting the waivers is a tortuous process.”
He said due to the urgency involved in replacing health professionals that leave, “it is difficult to comply with federal character in recruitments”.
