(DDM) – Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing an alarming shortage of doctors, with only about 40,000 currently practising against a national requirement of 300,000.
The deficit has been described as a major threat to effective healthcare delivery across the country.
In 2024, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, revealed that Nigeria had approximately 55,000 licensed doctors.
Pate disclosed that over the previous five years, about 16,000 doctors had left Nigeria, while 17,000 more had been transferred out of active service.
The situation has worsened dramatically within a single year, according to Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi.
Abayomi stated that the number of practising doctors nationwide has dropped from 55,000 to 40,000.
He made the revelation during a one-day leadership dialogue in Lagos focused on strengthening primary healthcare systems.
The dialogue, organised by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board with support from development partners, addressed barriers hindering PHCs from delivering adequate care.
Abayomi highlighted manpower shortage as one of the most pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s health sector.
He revealed that Lagos State, with nearly 30 million residents, currently has only 7,000 doctors.
The commissioner emphasised that the state requires an additional 33,000 doctors to meet optimal healthcare demands.
“Nigeria currently has about 40,000 doctors against an estimated need of 300,000, while Lagos alone requires about 33,000 doctors but has only about 7,000,” Abayomi said.
To tackle the deficit, Lagos has invested in the newly established University of Medicine and Health (UMH).
Abayomi said UMH is expected to produce about 2,500 healthcare workers annually over the next five years.
These graduates will include doctors, laboratory scientists, and other essential healthcare professionals.
The ongoing mass exodus of healthcare workers, commonly referred to as “japa syndrome,” remains a major concern.
A 2017 survey indicated that 88 per cent of Nigerian doctors were seeking opportunities abroad.
Experts attribute the brain drain to poor funding, dilapidated infrastructure, harsh working conditions, insecurity, and weak policy enforcement.
The General Medical Council of the United Kingdom reports that 11,001 Nigerian-trained doctors are practising in the UK alone.
Prof. Bala Audu, President of the Nigerian Medical Association, warned that Nigeria has become a direct recruitment hub for foreign governments seeking medical professionals.
He explained that international recruiters now visit Nigeria to hire doctors, particularly specialists such as obstetricians, gynaecologists, and paediatricians.
Audu stressed that the country continues to lose skilled professionals while population growth and high mortality rates persist.
He highlighted the rising maternal mortality rate due to a decreasing number of skilled birth attendants.
In some specialties, the number of Nigerian doctors practising abroad may already exceed those working locally.
The former NMA President, Prof. Mike Ogirima, described Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio as “horrible,” with one doctor serving roughly 8,000 patients.
This is far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of one doctor to 600 patients.
Ogirima noted that Nigeria produces only 3,000 doctors annually, making it impossible to close the estimated gap of 300,000 doctors in a timely manner.
He warned that overworked and burned-out doctors are becoming the norm due to the shortage.
Experts urge the government to prioritise investment in health worker training, modern equipment, and security.
They also called for comprehensive insurance schemes to improve welfare and retain healthcare professionals.
DDM gathered that without urgent reforms, Nigeria’s healthcare crisis will continue to deepen, endangering millions of citizens nationwide.
Medical leaders emphasised that a motivated and protected workforce is essential to national development and effective healthcare delivery.
The shortage underscores the urgent need for policy interventions to stem the ongoing brain drain.
Federal and state governments have been urged to act decisively to prevent further collapse of the healthcare system.
Retention of skilled doctors is viewed as critical to achieving sustainable health outcomes across Nigeria.
