Minister Says 16,000 Doctors Left Nigeria in Five Years

According to Professor Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, a total of 16,000 Nigerian doctors have left the country over the last five to seven years in search of better opportunities abroad.

Speaking in Abuja at the seventh annual capacity building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), Pate described this mass exodus of healthcare professionals as a growing crisis that is significantly impacting Nigeria’s healthcare system.

He highlighted that the doctor-to-population ratio in Nigeria has now dropped to 3.9 per 10,000 people, far below the global benchmark.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the cost of training a single doctor in Nigeria exceeds $21,000, which not only poses a challenge to human resources but also represents a considerable financial loss to public investment in the country’s healthcare sector.

Professor Pate acknowledged that the motivations behind the mass migration of Nigerian doctors include the search for better working conditions, economic opportunities, access to advanced training, and improved research environments.

He warned that this exodus has left many rural areas critically underserved, which poses a significant threat to the provision of healthcare services across the country.

Despite these concerning statistics, Pate urged for a proactive response to the situation, seeing it as an opportunity to redefine health workforce policies in Nigeria and across Africa. He called for a new global compact on health workforce mobility, driven by African nations.

This compact would focus on shared training and accreditation standards, data-driven planning, and strategic negotiations with countries that attract medical professionals.

Professor Joel Okullo, President of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), also emphasized the need for greater collaboration across the continent to tackle healthcare challenges, improve regulation, and strengthen leadership.

Dr. Fatima Kyari, Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), welcomed attendees to Nigeria’s first AMCOA workshop and praised the collective focus on patient safety.

Professor Afolabi Lesi, Chairman of the MDCN Board and Chair of the workshop’s Local Organizing Committee, underscored the need to uphold global healthcare standards while adapting regulations to local contexts.

He warned against the dangers of fragmented professional relationships, which can undermine the effective implementation of healthcare policies and compromise patient care.