Nigerian doctors have raised alarm over a severe shortage of healthcare workers in the country, saying only about 55,000 doctors remain to serve a population of more than 220 million people.
They made the disclosure at the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, themed: “Too Few Doctors, Too Many Patients: The Consequences of Manpower Shortage on the Mental Well-being of Nigerians.”
The doctors warned that the “Japa” migration trend has worsened the country’s healthcare crisis, especially in the area of mental health services.
They said more than 16,000 Nigerian doctors have emigrated in the last five years, further deepening the shortage of medical professionals.
The President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Omoti Ernest, said that although more than 130,000 doctors are registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, only about 55,000 are actively practising in the country.
He explained that this means Nigeria has roughly one doctor for every 3,600 to 4,000 people, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one doctor to about 600 people.
Experts said doctors are leaving Nigeria due to poor salaries, inadequate working conditions, insecurity, lack of modern equipment, and limited career growth opportunities.
They warned that the crisis is particularly affecting mental healthcare, with more than 40 million Nigerians suffering from mental health disorders, while about 85 percent lack access to proper treatment.
The President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, Dr. Veronica Nyamali, said the country currently has fewer than 150 psychiatrists, making mental healthcare increasingly expensive and difficult to access.
She called on the government to improve salaries and welfare packages for healthcare workers, upgrade hospitals, provide modern equipment, and create better incentives to retain doctors in Nigeria.
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