The NMA regrets the mass exodus of healthcare professionals

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ondo State chapter, has stated that one of the ways to curb the brain drain plaguing the health sector in the country is through the implementation of a salary structure and the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) in all to land. healthcare levels.

While expressing concern over the mass exodus of health workers from the country, the Chairman of the NMA in the state, Dr. Olumuyiwa alonge, described the syndrome as a consequence of a system that has failed to ensure fair remuneration and career fulfillment offer.

According to Arounde, while speaking to journalists on Monday at a press conference to inaugurate the annual Doctors’ Week in the state, healthcare professionals feel valued and respected when they are rewarded fairly and equitably, thereby strengthening their commitment and dedication to patient care.

The week’s theme was entitled ‘Ensuring Universal Applicability in Pay: A Panacea for Retaining Healthcare Talent’, and sub-themes included ‘Limiting the Impact of Infectious Diseases: Tackling the Monkeypox Outbreak and Beyond’ and “Early Detection of Breast Cancer and Current Trends in Breast Cancer Treatment.”

“We urge all levels of government to ensure the uniform implementation of our salary structure, the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), across all levels of healthcare.

“We also call for the prompt payment of all outstanding arrears related to salary increases, including the new minimum wage.

“In recent years, we have witnessed an alarming trend: our most experienced and skilled healthcare professionals, the lifeblood of our healthcare system, are leaving Nigeria for opportunities abroad, and our dear state is not being spared.

“This mass exodus, known as brain drain, is not just a symptom of individual decisions; it is a consequence of a system that has failed to provide compensation and career fulfillment.”