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'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – Health Minister Ali Pate has revealed that a significant portion of Nigerian-trained doctors and nurses, approximately 67%, are practicing in the United Kingdom (UK). Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, Pate emphasized that the UK's National Health Service (NHS) would face considerable challenges if these Nigerian health professionals were to leave.
The minister's comments came in the wake of the newly approved National Policy on Health Workforce Migration by President Bola Tinubu, aimed at addressing the increasing trend of health workers leaving Nigeria, commonly referred to as ‘Japa’.
Pate highlighted the global demand for Nigerian doctors and nurses, attributing their high migration rate to the quality of their training. He noted that while many health workers choose to leave Nigeria for various reasons, not all do, and the country should take pride in the international demand for its medical professionals.
“The policy is really about health diplomacy and promoting ethical recruitment practices,” Pate stated. He proposed that countries benefiting from Nigerian-trained health workers should take responsibility in helping Nigeria expand its training capacities. “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.”
Pate stressed the importance of mutual cooperation in addressing the migration issue. “The UK will need Nigerian doctors. 67% of our doctors go to the United Kingdom and 25% of the NHS workforce is Nigerian. 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,” he explained.
He underscored the significant contributions of Nigerians abroad, particularly in the UK. “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,” he added.
Highlighting the extent of the migration trend, Pate revealed that over 75% of health workers trained in Nigeria in the past year have migrated to other countries as economic migrants. He acknowledged the quality of training provided by Nigerian universities and training centers, despite the high emigration rates.
While recognizing the right to freedom of movement, Pate emphasized the government's commitment to creating a conducive environment for medical professionals to stay and practice in Nigeria. The new policy aims to provide incentives for medical workers to remain in the country through improved welfare packages and enhanced capacity development.
Additionally, the policy focuses on promoting a decent work environment, including limiting shifts to no more than 12 hours. These measures are expected to retain more health workers in Nigeria and reduce the exodus of skilled professionals to other countries.
