Akinsanya Osibogun, president of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, has raised the alarm about the exodus of medical specialists from the country.

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari, governors and medical stakeholders to formulate strategies and policies to stem the tide and retain the doctors in Nigeria.

Mr Osibogun, a professor of public health, spoke on Saturday at a media conference at the 16th Annual Scientific Conference and Fellows’ Congress, organised by Post Graduate Medical College Fellows’ Association in Lagos.

“To date, this college has produced about 8,000 specialists for this country, but they are relocating outside the country. Even though the college is producing (a) large number of specialists for the country, the current situation in Nigeria is causing a lot of brain drain in the health system,” he warned.

The public health professor added, “Brain drain is affecting not only the specialists but also the junior doctors in various hospitals.”

He explained that at the college, strategies were implemented to provide qualified specialists for the country’s service.

“One of the strategies that the college adopts to ensure the quality of specialists is to promote continuous medical education. Annually, we have this scientific conference to provide opportunities in exchange of medical, scientific knowledge,” added Mr Osibogun. “At this conference, all our fellows who have been involved in research will bring forward their findings in order to dictate the new direction of treatment of patients in hospitals.”

(NAN)