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“Nigeria’s Healthcare Workforce Insufficient: Minister”

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, has expressed concerns about the insufficient healthcare workforce in Nigeria to meet the healthcare needs of its population. Here are the key points from his statement:

Workforce Insufficiency: Prof. Ali Pate mentioned that there are approximately 400,000 healthcare workers in Nigeria, including community health workers, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physicians, lab scientists, technicians, and auxiliaries. However, he believes that this number is inadequate to cater to the healthcare needs of Nigeria’s population of approximately 220 million.

Global Shortage of Health Manpower: Pate highlighted that there is a global shortage of health manpower, with a deficit of approximately 18 million healthcare workers worldwide. He pointed out that even in developed countries with aging populations, there is a need for more healthcare professionals to provide services.

Infrastructure Improvement: The minister suggested that if infrastructure is improved and healthcare workers are treated with respect, some of those who have left the country may return to serve. This implies that addressing both the quantity and quality of healthcare facilities and the working conditions of healthcare professionals is essential.

Reducing Medical Tourism: Pate acknowledged the issue of medical tourism, where Nigerians seek healthcare services abroad. He emphasized the importance of mobilizing private capital to invest in healthcare infrastructure and human resources to provide services locally and reduce the need for citizens to travel abroad for medical procedures.

Financing and Development Partners: The minister mentioned that the majority of the health budget in Nigeria comes from the government at different levels, with a smaller portion contributed by development partners. He discussed the need for transparency and collaboration between the government and development partners to effectively allocate resources for healthcare projects.

In summary, Prof. Ali Pate emphasized the need to expand the healthcare workforce, improve healthcare infrastructure, reduce medical tourism, and foster collaboration with development partners to enhance healthcare services in Nigeria.

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