₦airaland Forum

President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s health human resources.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on his X handle on Monday.

Pate said the policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals but a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration.

Pate said, “This afternoon, HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT, in-Council, approved a landmark policy set to transform healthcare human resource management in Nigeria.


“The National Policy on Health Workforce Migration addresses the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s health human resources. As the AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, Mr President’s commitment to a resilient and robust healthcare system is powerfully reflected in this forward-looking policy.

“This policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals; it’s a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration. It envisions a thriving workforce that is well-supported, adequately rewarded, and optimally utilised to meet the healthcare needs of all Nigerians.”

Many Nigerian healthcare workers leave the country for greener pastures, leaving their colleagues to contend with additional workload and extended call hours.

The push factors, according to them, are inadequate equipment, worsening insecurity, poor working conditions, and poor salary structure

The minister noted that central to this vision is the Nigeria Human Health Resource Programme, which sets a framework for regular reviews of working conditions, ensuring that health workers, especially in rural and underserved areas, receive the recognition and rewards they deserve.

“By fostering an environment conducive to professional growth and stability, the policy aims to retain top talent within Nigeria.

“In an increasingly digital world, integrating advanced health technologies is essential. The policy’s focus on digital health infrastructure—including Electronic Medical Records, telehealth, and a comprehensive Health Workforce Registry—marks a significant step towards a more efficient, data-driven health system. These innovations will streamline healthcare delivery and enhance the equitable distribution of health workers, ensuring access to quality care for all Nigerians.

“Capacity building is at the heart of this policy. It recognises the importance of continuous professional development, with strategic partnerships and opportunities for international training to equip our healthcare professionals with cutting-edge skills. This investment in human capital underscores our commitment to retaining and empowering our healthcare workforce,” he stated.

He added that the policy addresses the return and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals from the Diaspora.

He said by establishing streamlined registration processes and providing attractive incentives, the policy not only encourages the return of talented professionals but actively reintegrates them into the health system.


“This approach leverages the expertise of our diaspora to bridge gaps within the health sector. Also, the policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria. These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of our healthcare professionals.

We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.

“Recognising the importance of work-life balance, the policy includes provisions for routine health checks, mental well-being support, and reasonable working hours, especially for younger doctors. These measures aim to create a supportive work environment, reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction.

“The governance of this policy will be overseen by the National Human Resources for Health Programme within @Fmohnigeria, in collaboration with state governments. This ensures responsible implementation and alignment with broader sector-wide health objectives.

“With this decisive action, the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is set to secure the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Under Mr President’s leadership, this policy will further catalyse the transformation of our health sector, ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians. As we embark on this journey, all stakeholders are invited to contribute to building a healthcare system that reflects our nation’s potential and promise,” Pate noted.

Remman:
Still won't work on those who actually want to go.

DevilsEqual:
It's not for them. It's just the Govt doing what it has to do to retain its best brains

malali:
Nigeria is being exploited by UK,USA and Canada by poaching their best healthcare workers.

They let Nigeria train them(for relatively free) only for them to hire them for peanuts into their own system.

How does the USA,UK and Canada prevent this happening to them ?

Muslims always fixing dodging to take responsibilities fro their failures and pointing fingers on others for their inability to think like normal human beings.

They saddle all graduates with huge loans.......give or take 350 thousand dollars.

So that when you graduate, you will be forced to work in the USA, if you desire to pay back that loan.

If you decide to go work somewhere else, you will never be able to pay back that loan.(They devalue the currency of the home country)

If Nigerian government wants to stop this, they need to saddle all those courses that are high brain-drain prone with huge loans.

Give every doctor a 10 million Naira loan, payable only to his tuition and then give them a job where 1 million Naira is forgiven every year or 500k every year. Only award them certificates as doctors after the loans are paid in full or on completion of a mandatory 10 years of working in a government hospital. Salaries have to be competitive and realistic. No doctor should earn less than a senator.

This will deter a lot of health workers from going abroad the next day after graduating.

malali:
Nigeria is being exploited by UK,USA and Canada by poaching their best healthcare workers.

They let Nigeria train them(for relatively free) only for them to hire them for peanuts into their own system.

How does the USA,UK and Canada prevent this happening to them ?

They saddle all graduates with huge loans.......give or take 350 thousand dollars.

So that when you graduate, you will be forced to work in the USA, if you desire to pay back that loan.

If you decide to go work somewhere else, you will never be able to pay back that loan.(They devalue the currency of the home country)

If Nigerian government wants to stop this, they need to saddle all those courses that are high brain-drain prone with huge loans.

Give every doctor a 10 million Naira loan, payable only to his tuition and then give them a job where 1 million Naira is forgiven every year or 500k every year. Only award them certificates as doctors after the loans are paid in full or on completion of a mandatory 10 years of working in a government hospital. Salaries have to be competitive and realistic. No doctor should earn less than a senator.

This will deter a lot of health workers from going abroad the next day after graduating.

malali:
Nigeria is being exploited by UK,USA and Canada by poaching their best healthcare workers.

They let Nigeria train them(for relatively free) only for them to hire them for peanuts into their own system.

How does the USA,UK and Canada prevent this happening to them ?

They saddle all graduates with huge loans.......give or take 350 thousand dollars.

So that when you graduate, you will be forced to work in the USA, if you desire to pay back that loan.

If you decide to go work somewhere else, you will never be able to pay back that loan.(They devalue the currency of the home country)

If Nigerian government wants to stop this, they need to saddle all those courses that are high brain-drain prone with huge loans.

Give every doctor a 10 million Naira loan, payable only to his tuition and then give them a job where 1 million Naira is forgiven every year or 500k every year. Only award them certificates as doctors after the loans are paid in full or on completion of a mandatory 10 years of working in a government hospital. Salaries have to be competitive and realistic. No doctor should earn less than a senator.

This will deter a lot of health workers from going abroad the next day after graduating.

DevilsEqual:
We finally can finally feel it
We now have a president that touches all sector


The lady time we had anything like it was in 2009(Under Yaradua)

When we encourage local investors like Innoson and Dangote, pay the students monthly, deploy rangers to farm and increase health worker pay...

We are now the green pasture

vibratingpenis:
This is a classical example of enemy of progress, not like they will still use them or equip the hospitals with latest technologies at least let their practices be at par with those abroad, No! You'll see, they will still rush to France to fix their leaking scruutuum and trap these young medical practioners to rot in the Nigeria shithole hospitals that them and their families aren't using.

These idiots don't know allowing these young men japa even helps the country, but you know anything APC touches and it doesn't degrade or get destroyed is forged with hytrolite.

Very useless set of people, most times I feel most of them were born through abortion and that part of their brain already shifted from where it is supposed to be.

FreeStuffsNG:
We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.

The policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria. These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of our healthcare professionals.
Many Nigerian healthcare workers leave the country for greener pastures, leaving their colleagues to contend with additional workload and extended call hours.

This policy is a great effort on the part of the executive arm of the Federal Government. The real drain is the uncontrolled migration of healthcare professionals educated with tax payers' hard-earned money. It's daylight robbery of the taxpayers, states and Federal Government by these public-educated Healthcare professionals who flee abroad after their education with public funds! Cuba stopped it and today secured its health system with professionals trained with public taxes,Nigeria can do so too. This injustice meted to the Nigerian state by the fleeing healthcare professionals educated with public funds has to stop immediately. It's an ungodly and criminal injustice done to the Nigerian public education and Healthcare system.

I am glad that the states will execute the policy as well. This is the kind of policy many Nigerian Patriots have been calling for in order to protect the rights of the average Nigerian taxpayer whose tax was used to educate a healthcare professional who immediately flees abroad after receiving training with taxes paid by Nigerians. It's a completely unfair system and something should have long been done about it although it's good that something is eventually being done to arrest the fraud.

May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs!

FreeStuffsNG:
We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.

The policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria. These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of our healthcare professionals.
Many Nigerian healthcare workers leave the country for greener pastures, leaving their colleagues to contend with additional workload and extended call hours.

This policy is a great effort on the part of the executive arm of the Federal Government. The real drain is the uncontrolled migration of healthcare professionals educated with tax payers' hard-earned money. It's daylight robbery of the taxpayers, states and Federal Government by these public-educated Healthcare professionals who flee abroad after their education with public funds! Cuba stopped it and today secured its health system with professionals trained with public taxes,Nigeria can do so too. This injustice meted to the Nigerian state by the fleeing healthcare professionals educated with public funds has to stop immediately. It's an ungodly and criminal injustice done to the Nigerian public education and Healthcare system.

I am glad that the states will execute the policy as well. This is the kind of policy many Nigerian Patriots have been calling for in order to protect the rights of the average Nigerian taxpayer whose tax was used to educate a healthcare professional who immediately flees abroad after receiving training with taxes paid by Nigerians. It's a completely unfair system and something should have long been done about it although it's good that something is eventually being done to arrest the fraud.

May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs!

Remman:
Still won't work on those who actually want to go.

DevilsEqual:
It's not for them. It's just the Govt doing what it has to do to retain its best brains

malali:
Nigeria is being exploited by UK,USA and Canada by poaching their best healthcare workers.

They let Nigeria train them(for relatively free) only for them to hire them for peanuts into their own system.

How does the USA,UK and Canada prevent this happening to them ?

They saddle all graduates with huge loans.......give or take 350 thousand dollars.

So that when you graduate, you will be forced to work in the USA, if you desire to pay back that loan.

If you decide to go work somewhere else, you will never be able to pay back that loan.(They devalue the currency of the home country)

If Nigerian government wants to stop this, they need to saddle all those courses that are high brain-drain prone with huge loans.

Give every doctor a 10 million Naira loan, payable only to his tuition and then give them a job where 1 million Naira is forgiven every year or 500k every year. Only award them certificates as doctors after the loans are paid in full or on completion of a mandatory 10 years of working in a government hospital. Salaries have to be competitive and realistic. No doctor should earn less than a senator.

This will deter a lot of health workers from going abroad the next day after graduating.