President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to address the ongoing emigration of Nigerian doctors.
Announced by Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, on his X handle on Tuesday, this policy seeks to attract around 12,400 Nigerian-trained doctors currently working abroad.
Prof Pate highlighted that 67% of these doctors are practicing in the UK.
He pointed out that the UK relies heavily on Nigerian doctors, noting that 25% of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) workforce is Nigerian.
“The recruitment countries, that recruit our professionals, should they not have some responsibilities to help us expand the training? Because the strain of health workers’ migration is continuous; it’s not going to stop tomorrow.
“The UK will need Nigerian doctors; 67 per cent of our doctors go to the United Kingdom and 25 per cent of the NHIS workforce is Nigerian.
“Nigerians are very vibrant, very entrepreneurial, and very capable wherever they are. 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,” the minister said.
He argued that countries recruiting Nigerian professionals should contribute to expanding training programs in Nigeria, as the migration of health workers is a persistent issue.
Pate described the policy as a comprehensive approach to managing and reversing the migration of health professionals.
It is designed to enhance the management of Nigeria’s health workforce, improve working conditions, and offer better rewards and professional growth opportunities.
The policy also aims to integrate advanced health technologies, such as electronic medical records and telehealth, to create a more efficient health system.
The policy includes measures for the return and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals from abroad, streamlined registration processes, and attractive incentives. It also seeks to establish reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure mutual benefits.
“This approach leverages the expertise of our Diaspora to bridge gaps within the health sector. Also, 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. We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.
“Recognising the importance of work-life balance, the policy includes provisions for routine health checks, mental well-being support, and reasonable working hours, especially for younger doctors. These measures aim to create a supportive work environment, reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction.
“The governance of this policy will be overseen by the National Human Resources for Health Programme within @Fmohnigeria, in collaboration with state governments. This ensures responsible implementation and alignment with broader sector-wide health objectives.
“With this decisive action, the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is set to secure the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system. Under Mr President’s leadership, this policy will further catalyse the transformation of our health sector, ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
“As we embark on this journey, all stakeholders are invited to contribute to building a healthcare system that reflects our nation’s potential and promise,” Pate said.
The Senior Adviser for Media and External Relations, Tashikalmah Hallah, added that the government is negotiating with countries where Nigerian healthcare workers migrate to improve local training facilities.
“We are talking to those countries that our health workers are going to, to see if they can now help Nigeria to improve provisions of some of the facilities that will enable Nigeria to train more health workers.
“The Federal Government has expanded our admission quota and improved on these medical institutions, so they are now encouraging all these countries where our health workers go, to assist us in maintaining these health institutions.”
The policy, adopted by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, is effective immediately and includes provisions for healthcare workers to travel abroad for training and return to apply their knowledge in Nigeria.
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