Nigeria may lose more than 50% skilled healthcare workforce by 2025- NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA),has said that the country might lose more than 50 percent skilled healthcare workforce by 2025, as a result of migration of health workers, especially doctors and nurses for greener pastures in foreign countries.

The hint was given by Chairman, NMA,  Ogun State branch, Dr. Azim Ashimi, on Tuesday, in a new year message made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Ashimi said the migration of health workers had given rise to worsening healthcare indices, as well as, wanton loss of lives.

While expressing worries over the attitude of both the federal and state governments on the development.

 He said, “The last few years have been particularly challenging for the health sector in Nigeria given the unabating exodus of healthcare workers, especially doctors and nurses from Nigeria in search of greener pastures. 

“This has given rise to worsening healthcare indices as well as wanton loss of lives. Unfortunately, the government across all levels in Nigeria seem to be trivializing this issue as no visible concrete effort is being made to retain these critical workforce. 

“Rather triggers for such exodus continue to surge daily. These include rising inflation and insecurity. 

“We are definitely heading for the rocks in the health sector as the projections are not looking anything good.

” It is likely that by the end of 2025, Nigeria may lose more than 50 percent of her skilled healthcare work force and it will be foolhardy to think that we will have the younger and less skilled professionals to hold forth because they also constitute a major percentage of those not willing to stay.”

 He, therefore, called on governments to pay critical attention to the health sector before it collapses completely.

The medical doctor appreciated the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for allocating more fund to the health sector in the 2024 budget, as well as, his effort

in repositioning the health sector.

Ashimi,however, said that doctors in the service of the state are tired and overworked, and sometimes depressed.

“We, however, want everyone to know that doctors in Ogun state are tired and overworked, and sometimes depressed.

” We will however continue to put in our best to the limits of our human capacities as we implore the Ogun state and Federal government to do the needful by employing appropriate number of doctors to man the various healthcare facilities that the government have over the years been building, renovating or upgrading,” he added.

  Credit – Tribune