FG’s panel on brain drain, strikes begins sitting

The committee on health sector reform set up by the Federal Government to look into the issue of brain drain, strikes and related issues in the sector has commenced sitting.

According to PUNCH, the committee, set up in February, was eventually inaugurated on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, and given four weeks to submit its report. Already, the members of the committee, including medical associations, regulators and other stakeholders, have started making presentations.

The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja, Prof Saad Ahmed, in February confirmed that brain drain had become a matter of concern and that the committee would receive memoranda from members of the public to enrich its deliberations.

He said, “The issue of brain drain is of serious concern which, as a committee of CMDs, we were able to raise. I can tell you that the government has already set up a committee at the moment on health sector reform to look at the health sector, to see areas where they need to reform to stop restiveness and the brain drain that we currently have.

“At the moment, that committee is calling for a memorandum from members of the public and other stakeholders to help it in its assignment.”