By Admin
The Chief Medical Director, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Akwa Ibom State Prof Emem Bassey, says over a billion Naira was returned to the Government coffers following staff that left the hospital in search of greener pastures abroad.
Prof Bassey stated this during the budget defense, session by the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Institutions with the heads of Federal Medical Centres and Universities Teaching Hospitals across the country to defend their 2024 budget performance and 2025 proposal.
The Chief Medical Director explained that the sum which was left over from the 2024 budget was meant from the salaries of the Staff who left the Hospital.
Also during the budget Defence, Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof Wasiu Adeyemo, identified poor remuneration for health workers in Nigeria as one of the major factors responsible for the brain drain in the nation’s health sector.
Prof Adeyemo who called for better remuneration for health workers in the country to address the problem of brain drain in the health sector, expressed worry that if urgent steps were not taken,
hospitals may become empty.
“The major reason people are leaving is for economic reasons. We have a lot of issues. Resignations everyday. In the next one or two years if care is not taken, all the hospitals would be empty. We need to do something about the remuneration of our health workers. The government is putting a lot of money into infrastructure but the hospitals are empty.”
The Chairman House Committee on Healthcare Institutions, Dr. Patrick Umoh, expressed the commitment of the Committee in ensuring that funds that are disbursed are properly utilized for the benefit of all.
Dr. Umoh stressed the need for fiscal responsibility to ensure a better country for all Nigerian
