Foreign-based doctor advocates investment in Nigeria’s health care

An America-based Family Medicine Specialist, Dr  Nosa Aigbe-Lebarty, says it is necessary to get both Nigerians within and outside the country to invest in the country’s health care system, to promote healthy living for all.

Aigbe-Lebarty, who is currently building a hospital in a rural community in Edo, made the call while speaking in Benin on Saturday.

He said that a lot needed to be done in the country’s health care service delivery system, especially in community health, a practice that reaches out to people in the grassroots.

According to him, a lot hasn’t been done in community health, there are communities where you don’t have any health care centre.

“There are communities with health centres but there are no doctors and nurses; It is decapitated and empty.”

He said that the Brain Drain Syndrome should not discourage Nigerians from investing in the country as brains were also being gained into the country.

“We talk about brain drain; it is also good to talk about brain gain. I am coming back, that is a brain gain.

“The one gained is coming back with wealth of experience and knowledge and understanding of what is needed and knowing how and when to get things done.”

He urged prospective investors to look beyond the poor basic infrastructure and take the bold step to invest in the country.

“You have the amenities challenges and the personnel challenges. You cannot solve every challenge, but you try to minimise them.

“There are some you can overcome and those you cannot overcome, you minimise; access to water, electricity is a problem.

“Like for water supply, you talk about having a bore hole system and a diesel driven plant can help for electricity.

“This will affect the way we do things but we need to improvise,” he said.