College of Medicine’s Provost identifies ways to end brain drain
to reverse the current trend, the Federal Government must instill hope in our youths, decentralise employment programmes, restore industrial harmony and remove the bottlenecks in accessing research grants. We need to restore the one or two years abroad, whereby doctors know that if I start my residency, then I can go and study in Oxford, Yale, Harvard Universities or wherever I want
Prof. Olayinka Omigbodun, the Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, has identified some ways to end the mass emigration of healthcare workers. Omigbodun spoke in Ibadan, at the induction ceremony into the medical profession for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of the graduating Class of 2022, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, recently.
She passionately appealed to the Federal Government to stop the “haemorrhage” of health professionals, that is the brain drain, due to its effects on medical practice in the country before it becomes too late.
The provost said no nation would allow its best brains to leave, adding, “it appears Nigeria is just training its professionals for exports”.
According to her, to reverse the current trend, the Federal Government must instill hope in our youths, decentralise employment programmes, restore industrial harmony and remove the bottlenecks in accessing research grants. We need to restore the one or two years abroad, whereby doctors know that if I start my residency, then I can go and study in Oxford, Yale, Harvard Universities or wherever I want. And then, the nation engages you and then you come back refreshed and renewed to build Nigeria,” she said.
Omigbodun, however, congratulated the 133 inductees, who qualified out of 160 students who started the journey in spite of setbacks such as strikes and COVID-19, urging them to continue to be resilient, focussed and diligent.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, University of Ibadan, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, urged the inductees to make a difference, saying that there was no doubt about the quality of their education. Odigie-Oyegun appreciated the management and staff of the college for maintaining the standards, pledging to do all in his power to see to the progress of the college and improve in its ranking globally.
“The college has been maintained and has progressed despite the challenges faced. They have maintained the college with relative discipline and they have managed to maintain the quality of delivery that has made this nation second to none,” Oyegun said.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Adebowale; Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo and the President, Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association, Prof. Emmanuel Otolorin, enjoined the inductees not to forget their alma mater, but give back and be good ambassadors.
The valedictorian, Aloysius Makata, who is the best graduating student in Pathology, Medicine and Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, said that hard work was not the only ingredients for his class success, but grace of God and genuine friendship.
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