The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Nasarawa State chapter said over 100 doctors working at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH), Federal Medical Center (FMC), Keffi and the state Hospital Management Board (HMB), have left the state to Saudi Arabia country as a result of brain drain across the state.
The NMA chairman in the state Dr. Peter Attah, said this on Tuesday in Lafia during a press briefing to mark 2022 Physicians’ Week.
He also revealed that about 550 licensed doctors are working in the state, saying that out of the number no fewer than 350 are working with FMC while about 200 work at DASH, HMB and some other government institutions such as Federal University of Lafia.
Others include the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NAPHDA), and Nasarawa Sate University, Keffi.
He said, “Over 100 doctors that were working in DASH, FMC Keffi, and HMB have left the state to Saudi Arabia as a result of brain drain in the state in the last one year.”
He, however, maintained that in July DASH replaced about 30 doctors, adding that within one month and in the middle of last month more than10 doctors had also resigned and left the state.
Dr. Attah further hinted that in the last quarter of 2020, Nasarawa state government through the hospital management board employed 30 doctors and out of the number less than five doctors are currently on the ground.
He disclosed that DASH lost five doctors less than one month to FMC Keffi, due to the volume of work and shortage of manpower.
He equally revealed that generally in the country, it is one doctor to 10,000 patients, but in Nasarawa State, the situation is worse with one doctor to 20,000 citizens.
