Over the past five years, Nigeria has seen a significant migration of doctors, with an estimated loss of 15,000 to 16,000 professionals due to what’s been dubbed the “Japa syndrome.”
Prof Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, shared this concerning statistic during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, March 10.
According to Pate, this brain drain phenomenon has deprived the health sector of some of its most skilled individuals. Out of approximately 300,000 health professionals in Nigeria, including doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists, only 55,000 are doctors.
Pate highlighted the uneven distribution of healthcare professionals across the country. He pointed out that a significant portion of highly skilled doctors tends to concentrate in urban areas like Lagos and Abuja. For instance, Lagos boasts around 7,600 doctors, while Abuja has approximately 4,700, resulting in a doctor-to-population ratio of 14.7 per 10,000 in Abuja and 4.6 in Lagos.
This disparity underscores the pressing need for a more equitable distribution of healthcare resources throughout the nation. Pate emphasized the importance of addressing this issue comprehensively, not only focusing on doctors but also considering other vital cadres crucial for delivering quality healthcare services.
In essence, the healthcare sector faces multifaceted challenges, including shortages of professionals in key areas and geographical imbalances that need to be urgently addressed to ensure equitable access to healthcare across Nigeria.
