Speaking during a presentation of a letter of re-appointment for another term to the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Ehanire revealed that the Federal Government has given health institutions the privilege to embark on "one-on-one replacement" of health workers who have left the country for greener pastures.
However, he warned against the abuse of this privilege, such as replacing a medical doctor with a professional from another discipline.
Ehanire also announced the "Knowledge and Skill Repatriation" scheme, which aims to engage Nigerians who are experts in the health sector and have been abroad for more than 10 or 20 years to provide virtual lectures and training for students and staff in Nigeria.
He emphasised that the country is producing enough doctors, with almost 3,000 graduating from private and public universities annually, and the Federal Government is emphasising one-for-one replacement to address the brain drain problem.
The Minister revealed that the Federal Government has committed to consolidating the infrastructure of the health sector at all levels, as part of which he commissioned several projects at UCH. These projects include a state-of-the-art and fully equipped molecular laboratory, two autoclave sterilisers, and a pressure swing adsorption oxygen plant.
The hospital has also received one in-patient mammogram machine, one out-patient mammogram machine, and a 64-slice CT machine that will enhance its radio-diagnostic capabilities. The mammography machines have the latest 2D and 3D technology to detect breast disease in women while still in the early stages, thereby improving survival chances in cancer patients.
Prof Abiodun Otegbayo, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for improving facilities and creating a conducive environment for research, training, and clinical services in the health sector and UCH.
He praised the projects as a step towards elevating the hospital from a tertiary to a quaternary level and hopes they will stem the tide of health tourism and brain drain due to poor working conditions. Otegbayo also appealed to the Minister to assist UCH in addressing the issue of manpower shortage through one-on-one replacement of exited staff.
While the brain drain syndrome is not peculiar to Nigeria, Ehanire acknowledged that it is a problem for all countries, and the wealthier ones are looking to improve their health services with cheaply acquired doctors trained from other countries.
He urged health institutions to take advantage of the one-for-one replacement scheme and ensure they replace lost personnel with professionals of the same calibre.
The Knowledge and Skill Repatriation scheme will also help in addressing the brain drain problem by engaging Nigerians abroad to contribute their expertise to the country's health sector.