As Nigerians continue to seek greener pastures outside the shores of the country, an investigation by Sunday PUNCH has revealed that no fewer than 281 Nigerian doctors are currently practising in other African countries.

This is according to data obtained from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

Nigerian doctors are flooding these African countries and others despite the recent pronouncement by the World Health Organisation that Nigeria and 54 other countries face the most pressing health workforce challenges related to universal health coverage.

The situation is said to be affecting the operations of the nation’s hospitals being deserted by the medical workers.


The Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, Prof. Emem Bassey, had in August said African countries were poaching Nigerian medical doctors and other health professionals.

He also said countries like Sierra Leone and Gambia were offering them up to $3,000 to $4,000.

Bassey, who is the CMD of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, said the health sector was undergoing a major crisis in terms of manpower as health professionals are leaving in droves.

The MDCN data showed that 153 Nigerian doctors are practising in Sudan; followed by South Africa with 41 doctors; Egypt -17; Ghana -17; Uganda -13; and Gambia – seven.

Others are Lesotho -six; Cameroon – four; Namibia -four; Algeria -two; Ethiopia -two; Kenya -two; Liberia -two; Benin -one; Botswana -one; Equatorial Guinea -one; Niger -one; Rwanda -one; Sierra Leone -one; Seychelles -one; South Sudan -one; Tanzania -one; Togo -one; and Zambia -one.

11,872 in UK

According to the register of the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom, the number of Nigerian-trained doctors practising in the UK has increased to 11,872.

Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India, and Pakistan.

The President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, Prof Muhammad Muhammad, told Sunday PUNCH that the poaching of Nigerian doctors in African countries and others is not a new thing.

He said Nigerian doctors practising in other African countries earn more than their colleagues practising in Nigeria.

He said, “For instance, in 2020, I was offered $6,500 per month to go to Liberia, and that contract was supposed to be for a year. There are a lot of factors that will make someone either leave or stay.

“The issue is that what you have depends on how you price it, but others may see the best out of what you have. You may not cherish or protect what you have, and this is taking its toll on Nigeria because what you are doing about six years ago can no longer be done. After all, the manpower is gradually reducing.”

Muhammad said even from medical schools, doctors were already preparing themselves to move abroad.

He said the government must be ready to do more to retain healthcare workers in the country.

He added, “These days, doctors at the medical school are preparing themselves to have a certification to move abroad. Before we get to the red line, we need to let the government know that there is a need to look at not just welfare, or money, but even the working conditions of the health workers in the country.

“You may be surprised that somebody who is almost at the apex grade level may be moving around with his files with no office. This is what is happening in Nigeria. Even in tertiary institutions, you may find out that there are no basic amenities to do the work. The government needs to be alive with its responsibilities to ensure that we have a good working environment, good security, and good welfare.

“The government has to do a lot to retain staff, especially healthcare staff because as the younger ones are going out, the senior ones are exiting because of the retirement at 60. Meanwhile, a lot of them have so much experience, and so much to offer.”

Situation shameful –NARD

The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Emeka Orji, said it was shameful that Nigerian doctors are going to African countries because they are treated better and they have a better working environment there.

Orji said, “The brain drain is what we have been saying all the while. It is good that top government officials are also speaking out about it now. Maybe with that, the government will put measures in place to address the causes of brain drain.

“But it is shameful that Nigerian doctors are going to African countries because they are treated better over there; they have a better working environment, better incentives, and better remuneration.

“These are countries that cannot boast of the economic status we have in Nigeria, and if they can treat Nigerian doctors better, there is no way Nigeria should not be able to do better than them.”

NMA seeks end to brain drain

The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State Chapter, Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, also said the government needed to address the brain drain in the country.
He said there is a need to “increase the welfare of doctors, increase remuneration across the board, and give special allowances to medical doctors who decide to stay and practice in rural communities.”

Earlier in the year, the World Health Organisation said Nigeria and 54 other countries were on the red list of countries that should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers.

The global health body said the countries face the most pressing health workforce challenges related to universal health coverage.

“In particular, these countries have a density of doctors, nurses, and midwives below the global median (i.e., 49 per 10,000 population); and a universal health coverage service coverage index below a certain threshold,” it said.

Replacement difficult –CMD

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee of CMDs, Bassey, said it was difficult to replace the doctors leaving Nigeria.

“The replacement of these health workers is a major problem. This is because even though we are usually granted approvals to recruit, getting the waivers is a tortuous process,” he said.

He said due to the urgency of the need to replace various health professionals who leave, it is difficult to comply with federal character in recruitment.

https://punchng.com/medical-staff-desert-hospitals-as-nigerian-doctors-flood-egypt-uganda-others/?amp

Democracy is not working for NIGERIA

Lol..
Go to medical schools in the university,most of those guys are studying to go abroad.
A friend of mine who works says it pays well to work abroad but an oyinbo will make you work for the money he pays you.she says if you are on a twelve hour shift,you may sometimes stand for twelve hours.
So if you are a lazy Nigerian medical student,don't go abroad oh.

Good but a very sad and worrisome development. You keep training and developing professionals for other countries and the sad reality is you are not even getting anything from these intellectual exports as rewards. Rather you're killing your economy.

By the time teachers and artisan and skilled workers began to seek for visa, Nigeria will know just how much they've deprived it's citizens a good pay.

misreal:
Lol..
Go to medical schools in the university,most of those guys are studying to go abroad.
A friend of mine who works says it pays well to work abroad but an oyinbo will make you work for the money he pays you.she says if you are on a twelve hour shift,you may sometimes stand for twelve hours.
So if you are a lazy Nigerian medical student,don't go abroad oh.

Bros be like your friend don use style lie to discourage you o. Most health professionals are well treated and paid outside Nigeria

JASONjnr:
By the time teachers and artisan and skilled workers began to seek for visa, Nigeria will know just how much they've deprived it's citizens a good pay.

UK has already started this I think two months two months ago

Buhari! Bihari!! Buhari!!!

The results of your 8-year punishment on Nigeria due to your cluelessness on matters of governance will take more than a century for competent leaders to ameliorate.

You destroyed Nigeria beyond salvation.

If I was a doctor, I'd be a fool to be wasting my career in Nigeria.

My advice is that, any medical personnel who has an opportunity to Japa should do so without looking back.
I have told my children that anyone of you I send abroad should not come back to Nigeria.

JASONjnr:
By the time teachers and artisan and skilled workers began to seek for visa, Nigeria will know just how much they've deprived it's citizens a good pay.

The UK is already propping pay packages and travel incentives to woo Nigerian teachers and artisans, chief amongst them plumbers, welders, truck drivers, etc.

Nigeria should be left for the people it is actually working for. No body should grind in sweat and pains for someone else to over-feed-fat.

The average Nigerian is no more getting the minimum global standard of living. So, it is only normal to move to other parts of the big and wide world, where this is simply obtainable.

Why would disgraceful and demoralising things like this not be happening to Nigeria when it does not only have an illegitimate president in place who proudly goes abroad to seek healthcare( while the story back home is absolutely nothing to write home about) but whose policies toward the downtrodden masses is
neck constricting thereby choking the life out of its citizens.

Meanwhile, some of the nations citizens goes to find better job satisfaction, financial renumeration and solace include those he has been flexing muscle against to go to war in order to legitimise his fraudulent ascension of political power. Giant of Africa my foot.

MrsTwrite:
NIGERIA NO WORK!

I hold a positive view yesteryears but with the current situation @ present, I tends to agree with you. The brain drain in Nigeria today is just a national emergency in every sector of our national life.

Just that Nigeria no get sense. There is nothing wrong in mass producing this professional send as many abroad to increase foreign remittances once you mass produces you should definitely be able to retain enough to keep your system working.

Nigeria no just get sense to take advantage of all this glaring opportunities, in fact this should be a strategic policy by the govt to export professionals to earn money from it

Just the many football professionals return to Nigeria after their playing career bringing on the desired much dollar inflow ? Do the math now.

Senioreddy:
Good but a very sad and worrisome development. You keep training and developing professionals for other countries and the sad reality is you are not even getting anything from these intellectual exports as rewards. Rather you're killing your economy.

its the politicians that earn the most in nigeria....

people that dont sabi any handiwork other than talkin the ol day....
very sad situation....

Sonyboom:
Just that Nigeria no get sense. There is nothing wrong in mass producing this professional send as many abroad to increase foreign remittances once you mass produces you should definitely be able to retain enough to keep your system working.

Nigeria no just get sense to take advantage of all this glaring opportunities, in fact this should be a strategic policy by the govt to export professionals to earn money from it

Just the many football professionals return to Nigeria after their playing career bringing on the desired much dollar inflow ? Do the math now.

My broda the worst disaster that can happen to a society is for it to be led by the blind.

Senioreddy:


My broda the worst disaster that can happen to a society is for it to be led by the blind.

ehen....
you wan use style talk nonesense again....

as if anything would change if a igbo would become president....
i even say with una mindset things would get much worser....

you strange people found nothing wrong with stomach infrawetin back then....
very dispeakable thing....

In as much as I won't blame them for searching Greener pasture, there should be a law that'll be mandatory on Medical personnel to practice for atleast 5 years in Nigeria as form of giving back to the country before they can go elsewhere.

You can't be trained in a subsidized education and be useful to outsider and not Nigeria.

It's wrong

I don't see a problem here... In fact like Peter Obi said this is one area we have fantastic comparative advantage

Even in private universities it cost between $5000 to $20000 to train a medical doctor in Nigeria.... I'm not sure any other country can compete

Like Peter obi advised, we shouldn't be worried about doctors leaving instead we should be worried about how to produce more

Nothing stops Nigeria from producing 150,000 doctors per year, then send them abroad to work and send back remittances

150,000 doctors abroad earning $30000 average is 4.5 billion dollars

Most would crave Nigerian food n dress, invest into Nigerian businesses after 20 years Nigerian doctors would be earning 80 billion yearly

Imagine the impact on the garment, food, and entertainment industry not to talk about real estate industries

Peter is really smart sha

I don't blame healthcare professionals who seek better pay and more conducive working conditions.

State governments can make huge foreign currencies by structuring the training of their indigenes into healthcare professionals at a very subsidized cost with the focus on exporting their skills upon being certified and get their "sign on fees" from foreign agencies and medical facilities who would recruit them and every month for the next 5 years those indigenes who are working as doctors, nurses and allied health professionals trained by the state government should be remitting a fixed amount in foreign currencies to the coffers of the state government and should be used to subsidize the training of others.

The remittance they would regularly be making to their families back home, would translate to a bigger economy for the State. buildings and business investments would be popping up at a faster rate in the State but our leaders are busy gallivanting the world deceiving Nigerians that they are seeking investors.

Allow them to go nau,what is your problem? There are thousands of doctors in Nigeria today without jobs you hear.

Nigeria should try and review and start paying medical personnel wages that are commensurate with their training and experience. We can afford to have the few left to start emigration from Nigeria due to poor treatment

Find out the harsh reality of Tinubu Academic Transcript


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e9XGDmpAPQ

Last last na only agbado touts and Kriminals go remain for this country

I couldn't agree less the society as been led by blind leaders from time memorial

Senioreddy:


My broda the worst disaster that can happen to a society is for it to be led by the blind.

Let's produce more and export. We can earn dollars from Thier remittance

tsdarkside:


ehen....
you wan use style talk nonesense again....

as if anything would change if a igbo would become president....
i even say with una mindset things would get much worser....

you strange people found nothing wrong with stomach infrawetin back then....
very dispeakable thing....

I normally don't respond to imbeciles like you cos you know nothing aside the Emilokan/Atikulated and Obidients facade.

I guess your political party card can actually buy you a litre of fuel of #7 or put food on your broken table. Dumb ass

Even Liberia follow dey recruit Nigerians...shameful!

U see why when some people say Nigeria isn't working .

This is it here.

Blazebond:
Allow them to go nau,what is your problem? There are thousands of doctors in Nigeria today without jobs you hear.

Lies.

We have shortage of medical doctors in Nigeria.

When was the last time u visited any hospital in Nigeria?

Senioreddy:



I normally don't respond to imbeciles like you cos you know nothing aside the Emilokan/Atikulated and Obidients facade.

I guess your political party card can actually buy you a litre of fuel of #7 or put food on your broken table. Dumb ass

ehen....
fvck off....

if it doesnt rain tommorow its because we voted tinubu....

nonesense....