The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled plans to double the number of medical and dental doctors in the country from 5,000 to 10,000 starting from the next academic year. This initiative aims to address the shortage of healthcare professionals and reduce the emigration of licensed doctors and other healthcare workers to more developed countries.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, announced this strategy during the induction ceremony of foreign-trained medical and dental graduates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in Abuja. He emphasized the need to make the healthcare environment in Nigeria more attractive to retain healthcare professionals.
Currently, Nigeria produces just over 3,000 doctors annually, which is considered insufficient to meet the healthcare needs of the country’s growing population. To bridge this gap, the government plans to increase admissions to medical and dental institutions.
Additionally, the government intends to extend these opportunities to other health professionals such as pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, community health extension workers, radiographers, and more in a phased approach. Globally, there is a shortage of health manpower estimated at 18 million people, making it crucial to expand the production of healthcare workers.
Dr. Alausa also mentioned the government’s commitment to advocating for increased funding in the health sector and attracting international grants and funding to further support healthcare development in Nigeria.