…As Algeria reports its 1st Coronavirus death; a 3rd in Africa***
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says the country retains less than 60 per cent of her medical graduates due to brain drain.
The President of the association, Dr Francis Faduyile, made this known in an interview with the newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that the emigration of Nigerian trained doctors to developed and industrialised countries began in the 80s.
According to Faduyile, brain drain of doctors is a lingering pandemic in the country has pushed more doctors to move out of the country in search of a better and conducive working environment.
He ascribed poor remuneration and inadequate health facilities, among other factors, as the major reasons for mass movement of medical doctors from the country.
The president noted that the trend was applicable to the pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Faduyile said that the brain drain was affecting the patient to doctor ratio and with other consequences.
“The WHO has said that for optimal healthcare to be achieved in the country, that we need one doctor to 600 patients.
“In this country, we have 40,000 doctors taking care of 200 million people.
“The most skilled individuals are living to contribute their expertise to the economy of another country, the country had continued to maintain poor doctor-patient ratio.
He said the massive exodus of medical doctor’s calls for concern and concerted action to address the challenges prompting doctor’s movement.
Also read: NMA President says it will take 25 years to reduce doctors’ shortage in Nigeria
In the meantime, the Health Ministry on Thursday said a woman has died from Coronavirus in Algeria, becoming the first such fatality in North African country’s.
The Ministry said the woman died in a hospital in the province of Blida near the capital Algiers.
According to the ministry, she is among 24 confirmed Coronavirus infections recorded in Algeria.
They include five cases announced on Thursday, two of whom recently came from France.
On Tuesday, Morocco, a neighbour of Algeria, reported its first death from the virus.
Egypt, another North African country, announced its first such fatality on Sunday.
Experts consider Africa to be at high risk due to its close links with China, the epicentre of the Coronavirus epidemic and the weak health systems in many African countries.
But the continent’s Coronavirus outbreak has so far been limited compared with those in Asia or Europe.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation had recorded 107 cases in 11 of Africa’s 54 countries.
Ivory Coast on Wednesday became the 12th country to report its first confirmed case of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Egypt and Algeria have had the highest number of cases on the continent, while South Africa has the most in sub-Saharan Africa. It announced four new cases on Thursday, bringing its total to 17.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases said in a statement that they include South Africa’s first case of local transmission, involving a 32-year-old man who came into contact with a Chinese businessman.
All other patients in South Africa had travelled to countries with Coronavirus outbreaks.
The three other new cases announced on Thursday are a 38-year-old man who lives in Turkey, had travelled to Britain and was visiting his family in South Africa; and a 27-year-old woman and 43-year-old man who had been in the United States.
“At this stage, all patients are in self-quarantine and have mild to moderate symptoms,’’ the institute said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had on Wednesday appealed for calm.
“South Africans should not panic. We should be alert, so that if people show signs of some of the symptoms, they immediately are able to get medical assistance.’’
