Leading experts in Nigeria’s health sector have expressed concerns about the country’s healthcare workforce shortage due to a significant brain drain. They argue that with the current rate of healthcare professionals leaving Nigeria, it would take at least 20 years to produce enough personnel to meet the nation’s healthcare needs for its 220 million population.
According to these senior medical professionals, Nigeria currently has a dire doctor-to-patient ratio of one doctor to 8,000 patients, in contrast to the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of one doctor to 600 patients. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, recently stated that Nigeria still needs around 400,000 health workers, including community health workers, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physicians, lab scientists, technicians, and auxiliaries, to adequately address the healthcare needs of its population.
The brain drain issue is significant, with many Nigerian-trained doctors and healthcare professionals emigrating to countries like the United Kingdom and the United States in search of better opportunities. For instance, the number of Nigerian-trained doctors practicing in the UK has reached 11,001, according to the General Medical Council of the UK. This migration has placed a heavy burden on the healthcare system, resulting in a critical shortage of medical personnel in Nigerian public hospitals.
Experts emphasize the need for the government to invest in healthcare worker training and address issues like insecurity and lack of equipment and motivation to retain healthcare professionals in the country. Additionally, they suggest exploring strategies to open borders in healthcare and encourage teamwork among health workers to address the workforce deficit.
The brain drain of healthcare professionals has been an ongoing concern in Nigeria, with a large percentage of doctors and other healthcare workers seeking opportunities abroad, which poses a significant challenge to the country’s healthcare system.