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Doctor Ogungbemi Olalekan, has advocated for Public Private Partnership (PPP), for government hospitals, to curb mass exodus of doctors abroad and ensure effective service delivery.
Olalekan, a humanitarian health expert and founder of Moole Charity Foundation, made the call in an interview with MoneyCentral correspondent in Lafia.
According to Olalekan, the mass exodus of doctors for greener pastures abroad is not totally new, but has only become worse due to several reasons, ranging from deplorable state of facilities in hospitals to poor remuneration.
He said that the government’s continuous inadequate funding of health facilities had gradually reduced the quality of healthcare services being provided at its facilities, thereby decaying the sector slowly.
Olalekan, who currently works with the National Health Service in the UK, said he left Nigeria because he was unable to achieve the dream of a quality healthcare system for every Nigerian due to sabotage.
“If the government is unable to do its job, then it should start a mass private-government partnership for the healthcare system, where the private sector funds the system and the government regulates.
“The mass exodus at the moment is due to deplorable facilities, poor remuneration, insecurity, lack of recognition and corruption amongst others,” he said.
He described the situation as `unfortunate’, that a country adjudged to be the giant of Africa, had lost a good number of its doctors to smaller African countries, including Niger Republic.
According to him, the mass exodus of health personnel calls for concern, especially now that the country is witnessing an outbreak of cholera, Lassa Fever, and still battling with the third wave of COVID-19.
“I foresee a crisis situation should there be more outbreaks. The COVID-19 situation has Nigerian doctors thinking if they should die for a country that does not value them.
“We have invested millions of Naira into a charity movie titled “Migrant Doctor”, to show the world the impact of the problem on Nigerians. As an entity, I am working with my organisation to do a public social campaign to drive home the message.
“Moole Charity Foundation is currently discussing with Multimedia Giant, Netflix, to air this movie to the world aimed at bringing change in the system, amongst other tactics,” Olalekan said.