By Mustapha Yauri

The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching University (ABUTH), Zaria, says it has concluded arrangements to engage 518 health professionals, to mitigate the impact of medical brain drain and enhance healthcare service delivery.

Prof. Ahmed Umdagas, Chief Medical Director of the hospital, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Zaria.

He said the hospital has a shortage of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health workers caused by the migration of healthcare professionals abroad, known as ‘Japa syndrome’.

Umdagas said the hospital had received over 7,500 applications at the expiration of the vacancy advertisement, while it got approval to recruit only 518 workers.

“We have completed the exercise and by the first quarter of 2025, the hospital will have additional 518 staff towards improving the human resources for health in the hospital.

“We believe that injecting this cohort of staff would greatly strengthen health outcomes in the facility,’’ he said.

On manpower development, Umdagas said the hospital trained 460 staff both local and overseas, geared towards improving health outcomes, adding that such training would improved in 2025.

According to Umdagas, the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained staff members on better ways to improve patient care, adding that the facility was working towards strengthening partnership with key stakeholders to enhance health outcomes.

He said the hospital was collaborating with the University of Miami, USA, on the treatment of ovarian cancer, under which a research initiative would be conducted on 70 patients globally.

“Of the 70 patients ABUTH would assess 20 patients, 10 would be done at Bahamas and the remaining 40 would be assessed at the University of Miami’’. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani