The Federal Government has stated that its plan is to turn the brain drain in the health sector to brain gain, using a sustainable approach.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, while speaking with newsmen in Ilaro, Ogun state noted that the government has opened up the Nigeria Health Professionals to Nigerians in Diaspora.
He added that the platform has provided for proper interfacing, which according to him in yielding desired result.
“For us, we believe that the issue of brain drain can also lead to brain gain. As people go out, they learn new skills, gather more experience, they are able to interact more with the global community, and quite a number of them are willing to bring back those experiences and skills to Nigeria.
“We have organised the Nigerian Health Professionals outside the country into a group under the Nigerian health professionals diaspora platform and we are interfacing with them, some of them are able to contribute through telemedicine, medical mission and some in other respect.
“Again, we have also expanded our ability to train more health professionals, doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, and pharmacist, such that even when people go out, we have enough to cater for our people.
“So we are seeing the issue of brain drain to the angle of turning it into brain gain. That’s the approach of this government”, he said.
Salako therefore, assured Nigerians that the ministry will continue to expand the level of health coverage, adding that President Bola Tinubu is committed to the Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians of different stratas of life
“In this year, we will pay more attention to the social welfare of our people. This is on tandem with the name change of the ministry.
“The President has approved a Social Action Fund, which will be deplored to ensure communities are able to executes project that add value to health care services”, he added.