National Telescope national telescope newspaper
Lack of manpower and dearth of medical doctors as well as other health workers facing the health sector in Nigeria may have taken their tolls on Ondo state as governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has turned to the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, to seek refuge.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu pleaded with the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, to assist the Ondo state government by deploying more medical doctors serving as corps members to the state to rescue the state in the health sector.
Akeredolu made the appeal while receiving the NYSC national governing board which on Wednesday visited the state on official assignment and led by
Chairman, National Governing Board of NYSC, Ambassador Fatima Abubakar.
Represented by the commissioner for sports and youths development, Mr Bamidele Ologun, governor Akeredolu explained that the appeal was necessary as the state is facing the problem of brain drain in the health sector.
He said, “We have utmost respect for NYSC. Dear Alhaja, Ambassador, we have our little request.
“Mr governor said I should please beg you to please assist us to ensure that medical students that are corps members are sent in to our state. More. I don’t think we have. I am not sure we have.
“Mr governor said we should request that you should please send more to us in the state.
“We need them because Mr governor is doing a lot in the health sector and we need medical men and women to occupy the space.”
The Ondo State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association had in July lamented the rate at which medical doctors and other healthcare practitioners were leaving the state government service.
The association disclosed that the state was worst hit of doctors’ brain drain in the South-West owing to non-payment of their salaries and other bonuses, noting that the government was still owing medical doctors four months salary.
(ROVING)
