The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has disclosed that a staggering 67 per cent of Nigerian doctors are currently practicing in the United Kingdom.
This revelation highlights the growing concern over the migration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria to more developed countries.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday, Pate emphasized the critical role that Nigerian-trained doctors and nurses play globally, particularly in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
According to Pate, the NHS would face significant challenges if Nigerian doctors were to withdraw their services.
“UK will need Nigerian doctors. 67% of our doctors go to the United Kingdom, and 25% of the NHIS workforce is Nigerian,” Pate stated.
“If Nigerians hold back from the UK, for instance, the NHS will struggle to provide the services that many Nigerians are going there to get.”
Calls for Expanded Training Programs
To address the ongoing migration of Nigerian health workers, Pate proposed that countries recruiting these professionals, such as the UK, should assist Nigeria in expanding its pre-service education programs.
This approach aims to balance the migration of healthcare workers with increased local training efforts.
“The recruitment countries that recruit our professionals, should they not have some responsibilities to help us expand the training?” Pate asked.
“Because the strain of health workers’ migration is continuous, it’s not going to stop tomorrow.
Does the UK, for instance, want to consider expanding the pre-service education?
Can we have corridors that allow us to have a compact that ‘you’ll take some, but you will also help us train more so you will replace them’?
That is in the realm of health diplomacy and ethical replacement.”
High Demand for Nigerian Health Workers
Pate noted the high demand for Nigerian-trained health workers worldwide and the significant impact of their migration on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He revealed that over 75% of health workers trained in Nigeria in the past year have left the country for better opportunities abroad.
Despite acknowledging the challenges, Pate emphasized that the government cannot restrict the freedom of movement for healthcare professionals.
Instead, the focus will be on creating a more conducive environment in Nigeria to encourage them to stay and practice.
“We’re not stopping anyone from leaving. We’re accepting that migration is here to stay—people will leave, some will come back, and some will migrate here from elsewhere,” Pate explained.
“You’re free to leave, but we will work on making the environment more conducive, to make you more likely to stay than leave, and to attract/incentivise those who’ve left, to come back.”
New Policy on Health Workforce Migration
In line with these efforts, President Bola Tinubu recently approved a new National Policy on Health Workforce Migration.
This policy aims to provide incentives for medical workers to remain in Nigeria through improved welfare and enhanced capacity development.
Pate explained that the policy would leverage the expertise of the Nigerian diaspora to bridge gaps within the health sector and foster reciprocal agreements with other nations.
“This approach leverages the expertise of our diaspora to bridge gaps within the health sector,” the minister said.
“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.”
Towards a Sustainable Health System
As the Nigerian government works to address the challenges of health worker migration, the newly implemented policies and proposals aim to create a sustainable health system that can retain and attract medical professionals.
