The brain drain otherwise called the JAPA syndrome is daily eating into the nursing staff of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH.
It loses between three and four nurses daily, not to death or any other evil, but the nurses keep going for greener pastures abroad.
The revelation was made by the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, while raising concern over the relocation of nurses outside the country.
He spoke at the opening of the fifth Anniversary and Scientific Conference of the Retired Nurse Administrators Healthcare Initiative, held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa, Ikeja.
As ‘The Nation’ reports, the CMD lamented that he signs about four resignation letters daily for nurses, expressing the need to urgently address the trend.
He said: “Every day, I receive and sign between three to four resignation letters from nurses. As we speak, the nursing workforce in our facility has reduced by 35 per cent. Though we have received approval from Mr. Governor to employ their replacements, it is something that should be addressed.”
The CMD added that the LASUTH management is firming up plans to engage some of the retired but not tired nurses on a contract basis to ensure patients do not suffer because of the mass exodus of nurses in the facility.
Fabamwo noted that the brain drain in the health sector is essentially an economic decision to seek greener pastures, but said all hands must be on deck to make working here encouraging.
He, therefore, challenged the retired nurses to also see how they can contribute their quota to change the ugly narrative. The CMD also hailed the nurses still in service, just as he lauded the various humanitarian initiatives of the Retired Nurse Administrators.
