Hospitals and medical centres across the country face an acute dearth of doctors. Unfortunately, medicos, among other qualified professionals and thousands of unemployed youths, have also fallen for the temptation to explore greener pastures abroad. A recent study reveals that 50 per cent of the medical students go abroad in search of better opportunities soon after they complete their studies. Barely 85 doctors are available for 100,000 people against the WHO standard of 200 doctors for the same population, thus depriving millions of people of better health services in the country. If the trend continues,

the problems that it would invite for the country could be serious.

In fact, it is the government that should share the blame for not being able to control the alarming brain drain from the country. Better conditions could not be created at home to retain them. But students cannot be denied the liberty to seek better opportunities elsewhere, if the state fails to meet their expectations. But labour mobility for better opportunities is only natural. The government, in order to prevent the exodus of qualified professionals, should devise schemes that will encourage them to serve in their own country. The state should provide them with attractive opportunities not only to advance their professional skills and expertise but also to earn a good income. This trend is hard to stop, but it can be slowed down with better policy.