The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) said, the country may have to import medical doctors to treat local patients in the future.

The Oyo State NMA Chairman, Ayotunde Fasunla, urged that if urgent steps are not taken to fix the skyrocketing waves of brain drain that may lead to total collapse of the healthcare system in the country.

Fasunla, made the call in Ibadan on Tuesday at the 2022 scientific conference tilted ‘National Health Authority Act – The Sound Bites’.

“The chairman lamented the condition of government-owned hospitals, poor remuneration, allowance, among others.

He noted that the budgetary allocation to health sector in 2022 was approximately 4.2 per cent of the national budget. According to him, the figure falls significantly below the recommendation of the African Union (AU) at the Abuja Declaration of a minimum of 15 per cent.

Speaking further, Fasunla confirmed that some hospitals spend a significant amount of their internally generated revenues on diesel to ensure power supply.

“There is scarcity of funds to apply for equipment upgrade, manpower development or even recruitment of new staff.

“Many of our hospitals are grossly under-staffed. Even the process of replacing migrating staff is bogged down by a rigid government bureaucracy.

“It is our plea to the government to commit more funds to the health sector so that the system does not collapse.

“Therefore, I call on the well-meaning Nigerians, philanthropist, non-governmental organisations to join hands with the government to improve the conditions of the health system in the nation, especially Oyo state. It is obvious that the government cannot handle it alone.”

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Ladipo, who spoke on behalf of Governor Makinde, noted that the brain drain syndrome has become an issue that should be taken with levity.

He said that “the state recruited about 530 medical and health personnel within the last one year, and 20 among them, including 12 consultants have left the services of the state government, saying: “We should look inward and ensure that the health system is not collapsed.”