The Federal Government stated that measures were being made to strengthen the workforce in the country’s healthcare system, including replacing health professionals who have relocated abroad in pursuit of brighter pastures.
At the Joint World Health Organisation stakeholders’ feedback workshop on the evaluation of the third WHO-Nigeria country cooperation strategy (2018-2022) and development of the fourth WHO-Nigeria cooperation strategy (2023-2027), the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr. Salma Anas-Ibrahim, made this statement.
The PUNCH reports that the number of Nigerian-trained doctors practising in the United Kingdom has climbed to 11,478; while not less than 10,639 Nigerian-trained nurses and midwives are practising in the UK.
Anas-Ibrahim said, “We are all aware that Nigeria is currently affected by the brain drain but even prior to the brain drain, our human resources are grossly inadequate, we are not yet there. So, efforts will be made towards ensuring that we address issues and enhance the capacity of our training institutions, both private and public sector, to step up action and leverage all opportunities that will guarantee sustainable human resources for health at all levels of our health care, particularly at the primary health care level in our communities.
“Efforts are ongoing to address a lot of the issues, including having one-for-one replacement immediately to replace those that have exited and efforts are ongoing to ensure that we have motivated, vibrant health workers that are retained and those that want to come back can come back and contribute to the health sector development.”
The Tinubu-led Federal Government, according to the President’s Special Adviser, is dedicated to achieving the health-for-all initiative through a successful and comprehensive Universal Health Coverage that ensures no one is left behind.
She claims that Tinubu’s agenda for the health sector, titled “Healthcare: A Matter of Right and Urgency,” includes a plan of action for a better Nigeria.
Additionally, the CCS study was noteworthy since it was conducted at a time of political transition in the nation, offering a potential window for policy change and transformation, according to the WHO Representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo.
