The outgoing Chief Medical Director of Federal Teaching Hospital Ido Ekiti, FETHI, Ekiti State, Prof. Adekunle Ajayi, has said that all hands must be on deck to tackle the menace of brain drain in Nigeria.
Prof. Ajayi, who described brain drain as a social menace that has permeated every sector, noted that it is caused by multiple factors.
The CMD, who spoke during his valedictory media chat held at the hospital, stressed the need to deploy all necessary tools to address brain drain in the country.
Identifying other factors that may be responsible for the menace, he said, “These may include improved salaries for workers, staff retention policies, better security, improved road access, welfare packages, and improving the quality of education so students can attend school without the fear of ASUU strikes, among others. To mitigate brain drain, a multifaceted approach is required.
“For example, an average doctor or pharmacist may be demanding a salary increase. For an average patient, it may be improving the work environment. A manager could be asking for unbundling of the system. A person who has experienced kidnapping may call for enhanced security, while another suffering water shortage may require improved water supply to remain where they are.
“So, the approach to mitigating brain drain is multifaceted and is not limited to what the Federal Ministry of Health alone can do; it requires the involvement of every facet of our society.”
Reeling out the major activities and achievements of his administration during his eight-year tenure at FETHI, the CMD said his clear and unwavering mission upon assuming office was anchored on several pillars, including but not limited to: developing a high-quality medical system capable of attracting medical tourists from Ekiti State and beyond, driving organisational change through strategic engagement of unions and key stakeholders, creating an enabling environment for prompt, reliable, and uninterrupted medical services supported by modern infrastructure, and deploying strict resource optimization guided by strong managerial values.
According to him, these mission statements have been the guiding principles for all that has been achieved at the hospital during his tenure.
Fielding questions from journalists on whether the lack of capacity of health personnel or facilities is responsible for medical tourism in the country, he said, “Though that may be a factor, consumer choice also plays a role in healthcare access.
“That some people choose to seek medical attention abroad does not mean there are no good health facilities in Nigeria. Medical tourism depends on consumer choice. We cannot blame people for making their choices in terms of health services because they may have their reasons. This is not an indication that there are no capable health facilities in Nigeria.
“The capacity is there, and Nigerian doctors and other health workers are among the best trained in the world. You can see them demonstrating their skills and expertise abroad. So, I would not say medical tourism is due to lack of capacity, even though some tend to demonize Nigerian health workers as lacking skills. In fact, the majority of those who travel abroad to seek medical attention go there to meet Nigerians trained in the same environment we train in this country. It is not about lack of capacity.”
The CMD admitted that there may be a lack of facilities to some extent; however, he said progress is being made in improving facilities in Nigeria’s health sector.
“We have made significant progress. There has been an unprecedented level of investment in the health system in Nigeria over the last few years. All the achievements I have listed were not done with my personal money but through the responsible utilization of government funds. We must give credit to the federal government for committing itself to addressing the infrastructure gaps in our health system and ensuring improvements in healthcare delivery for the benefit of our people. This deserves recognition and appreciation.”
Prof. Ajayi, who will leave office on January 1, 2026, said he has been engaging himself daily on what else needs to be done to improve care and staff welfare at the hospital.
“I introduced reforms that will improve the quality of service delivery. I am confident that we have laid a solid foundation on which successive administrations can continue to build.
“I am handing over a hospital that is now more stable, more productive, more visible nationally, and better prepared for challenges than when I assumed office.”
The CMD, who said he will return to personal capacity building to continue serving humanity in other capacities, thanked the President of Nigeria for granting him the authority to carry out his assignment as CMD of FETHI.
All hands must be on deck to address brain drain in Nigeria – FETHI CMD
