Medical Doctor and Specialist Neurosurgeon Hadi Mohammed Abdullah has lamented the adverse effects of the alarming number of medical professionals leaving the country to seek greener pastures abroad on Ghana’s healthcare system.

Describing the phenomenon as heartbreaking, Dr. Abdullah revealed that the issue of medical professionals leaving the country’s shores for better conditions of service abroad used to be limited to junior doctors and nursing professionals, but currently, top specialists and consultants are also leaving in their numbers.

He noted that the reason for the exodus of such top specialists and consultants is that working abroad for five years will guarantee them a better retirement package than retiring in Ghana after thirty-five years.

“Heartbreaking…

Brain drain now involves top specialists and consultants. It used to be only junior doctors and nurses. Many have realized that working for 5 years abroad gives them better retirement than 35 years in Ghana,” Dr. Abdullah posted.

The issue of medical professionals leaving Ghana for the developed world is an age-old problem, but the canker has worsened in recent years.