ALLAFRICA
Nigeria’s health sector suffers as over 16,000 doctors depart in the past seven years, resulting in significant financial losses and a declining doctor-to-population ratio.
Nigeria’s health sector is facing significant challenges as over 16,000 doctors have migrated abroad in the past five to seven years, resulting in substantial financial losses and a declining doctor-to-population ratio.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, expressed concern over this trend, stating, “This trend is not just about people leaving. It represents a fiscal loss. The estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds $21,000—a figure that reflects the magnitude of public financing walking out of our countries.” He noted that the doctor-to-population ratio has fallen to 3.9 per 10,000 people, “well below the suggested global minimum.”
The exodus is attributed to factors such as better economic prospects, improved working conditions, and access to advanced training abroad. In response, the government is implementing the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to address these challenges, aiming to retain and motivate health workers, establish ethical recruitment agreements, and strengthen regulatory systems.
Pate called for a continental approach to workforce mobility, “balancing the rights of health professionals to seek opportunities abroad with our duty to protect the integrity and viability of our national health system.”