By O.V Collins
The Vice-Chancellor, of the University of Benin, Professor Lilian Salami, has called on medical and dental consultants to tackle the escalating incidence of brain drain in the country, lamenting that it has plagued the health sector for too long.
Professor Salami said this at the opening ceremony of the 2022 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), held at the University Auditorium, in Benin City. The rate at which doctors, consultants, and other health workers depart from the country was alarming, she bewailed, pointing out that although it was normal for people to seek greener pastures, health care practitioners must take their professional oath of care for others more seriously and make necessary sacrifices. She acknowledged that the country is going through challenges and urged all hands to be on deck to make society a better place for all, ACJ UNIBEN learned from the UNIBEN Public Relations Unit.
Professor Salami, who chaired the event, explained that the University of Benin has gone to great lengths to ensure the development of quality education in Nigeria by training the needed manpower resource in the Medical and other fields who are positioned to fuel the advancement of the society.
She restated that the University remains committed to the provision of cutting-edge facilities for research, teaching, and learning to make the students competitive internationally and without any feeling of meagreness.
Present at the event was the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Obehi Akoria at the event. Also present, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Alhaji Mahmud Mamman, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Professor Darlington Obaseki, said the government is aware of the multiple issues surrounding the current brain drain across the health sector. He said part of the government’s response to the issue is the setting up of a Committee on Brain Drain to propose interventions in tackling the challenge. Prof Darlington also urged MDCAN NEC to look into the issue and come up with permanent solutions.
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