At the National Hospital, Abuja, tired young doctors like one resident beginning a 36-hour shift after losing colleagues to migration reflect a healthcare system stretched to the brink. Despite loving their patients, harsh realities of poor pay and equipment shortages push many to seek greener pastures abroad. The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has launched an indefinite strike over unfulfilled welfare demands, worsening an already fragile service delivery nationwide.
In Nigeria, the doctor-patient ratio is a staggering 1:3,500, far below the WHO recommendation of 1:1,000, with rural and northern states suffering severe shortages. Thousands of skilled health workers migrate annually for better conditions, draining national investment in training. The government is battling to retain workers with arrears payments, rural posting incentives, and a national workforce migration policy aimed at stabilizing the sector.
Experts warn that without increased health budget allocations, better transparency, and union dialogue, Nigeria risks losing its best medical talent and lives to preventable diseases. Public trust falters as medical tourism abroad persists despite foreign exchange shortages, signaling urgent reforms are needed to rescue Nigeria’s health system.
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