We’ve mapped out policy to address brain drain – Health Minister, Ehanire

The honourable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Emmanuel Ehanire said the Federal Government has introduced a one-to-one policy to address the problem of brain drain in the health sector.

The Minister who disclosed this while commissioning projects at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH explained that
the one-to-one policy would allow a Chief Medical Director make an immediate replacement of a doctor or nurse who is permanently out of service.

He, however, urged the CMDs not to abuse the process recalling that when the policy was first introduced it was soon thwarted because when one doctor left, the management brought dozens of unprofessional ones, thereby overcrowding the hospital.

Ehanire said, “This policy is to enable the federal government to address the gaps in manpower in the health sector in the federal civil service.

Earlier, the CMD of UUTH, Prof Ememabasi Bassey said the infrastructural renaissance in the Teaching Hospital came through his initial assessment on assumption of office four years ago, which showed that the hospital had not kept pace with the expected transition in the tertiary healthcare sector.

He explained that a greater number of the projects were funded by the federal government under the COVID -19 funds.