Efforts under way to stem brain drain of doctors...(4)
------------------------------------------------------
Dear colleagues,
when I read the initial articles on the above subject matter, I
was double minded as to whether to send in my contribution. But
after reading the input from Dana Williams I was moved and sad-
dened by the statements made therein.
Firstly, decision to choose a profession is supposed to be the
choice of the individual in question (this is often based on
love developed for such discipline for what ever reason or how
lucrative the profession is or on humanitarian grounds, to serve
humanity etc.). Also decision on where to study to qualify in
such discipline is the choice of the individual(depending on how
factors like availability of cash, ability to gain admission
into school of choice, or get visa to study abroad for those who
want to study abroad etc.). Haven studied and qualified, it is
the sole prerogative of the individual in question(in this case
a medical doctor) to decide where to practice.
In deciding where to practise, two major factors come into play.
The first is the issue of remuneration, the other is the issue
of demand (which almost always linked with better remuneration
when demand is high).
In solving the problem of brain drain, Dana Williams' proposal
is very biased and uninformed. I might be bold to say that he is
either not a medical personnel or an aged one. Saying that doc-
tors should be made to work in their home country for at least 3
years before getting licensed is very myopic a proposal, biased
and is a far cry from what the biblical king solomon would have
advocated.
Dana's proposal is equivalent to enslavement of doctors in their
first 3 years of practice ("country arrest") - it definitely
will not solve the problem and it is only transferring the gov-
ernment's problem to doctors. The problem of brain drain is an
offspring of the individual countries poor management of funds
in the health sector or outright lack of interest in the health
sector. The only thing that developing countries can do to stop
brain drain is develop their economy, make practice of medicine
in their home country more attractive by making the pay more
reasonable and regular, provide equipments and facilities, pay
more to doctors who opt to work in rural areas ,provide basic
infrastructure to make living more meaningful.
If the individual developing countries fall to take these meas-
ures and more, the issue of brain drain will continue to esca-
late, with doctors migrating to where demand is high, supply low
and pay more reasonable.
Dr. Abanum Mark
Nigeria
Tel.: +234-8056440720
mailto:mark_opollo@yahoo.com