Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria has decried the rate of brain drain in the country, saying it lost about 906 of it members to human capital flight in 2022 alone.
It also frowned on medical tourism by Nigerians, noting that a whopping sum of N664 billion was estimated to have been spent yearly on medical tourism in the country.
These were some of the observations raised by the association in a communiqué it issued on Saturday at the end of the National Executive Council of the Association held in Uyo.
The communiqué, which was signed by the President, Prof. James Damen; National Secretary, Prof. Musa Muhibi and National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olusoji Billyrose, respectively, attributed the reason for the brain drain to poor leadership of the health sector, corruption, poor remuneration and toxic work experience, it called on government to address the concern.
The communiqué reads in part: “NEC observed with sadness, the human capital flight that has escalated to an alarming proportion. In 2022 alone, the nation lost about 906 medical laboratory scientists to human capital flight. We, therefore, call on government to address these concerns as a futuristic remedy for the malady.”
The association lamented that of N664 billion spent on medical tourism yearly could have made Nigeria a health tourism destination if the amount was invested in building Health infrastructures in the country.
It called on Federal Government through the Central Bank and Bank of Industry to provide “financial support through Special Intervention Funds for private sector investment for healthcare delivery.
