Over 16,000 Nigerian doctors have left the country in the last five to seven years, as revealed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate.
He attributed the exodus to factors such as economic opportunities, better working conditions, and advanced training abroad.
The doctor-to-population ratio in Nigeria has dropped to 3.9 per 10,000, far below the global recommended minimum.
Pate also pointed out the significant loss in terms of fiscal resources, with the estimated cost of training one doctor surpassing $21,000.
During his speech at the seventh annual capacity building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA) in Abuja, Pate expressed concern over the country’s healthcare crisis.
He stressed that the migration of healthcare professionals has been an ongoing issue but has accelerated in recent years, leaving many rural areas severely underserved.
“In Nigeria alone, over 16,000 doctors are estimated to have left the country in the last five to seven years, with thousands more leaving in just the past few years. Nurses and midwives have also thinned in numbers,” he said.
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The minister further explained that this growing migration trend represents a substantial fiscal loss for the country. He emphasized the need for new policies to manage healthcare migration while ensuring that Nigeria’s healthcare system remains viable.
“While the phenomenon offers an opportunity to rethink policies, we are guided by President Bola Tinubu’s vision for a prosperous Nigeria. His leadership, as African Union’s Champion for Human Resources for Health, focuses on interlinking Nigeria with its neighbours,” he added.
Pate noted that Nigeria has introduced the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration, which aims to balance the migration of health professionals with protecting the country’s healthcare system.
He highlighted key objectives, including retaining and motivating health workers, establishing ethical recruitment frameworks, and strengthening governance.
Pate also called for Africa to take the lead in shaping a global health workforce mobility compact. This, he argued, could help manage the challenges posed by health professional migration across the continent.
In support of these efforts, the President of AMCOA, Professor Joel Okullo, emphasized the importance of collaboration among African nations to address healthcare challenges.
He also stressed the workshop’s goal to create actionable strategies to improve healthcare regulation and leadership across Africa.