By Chioma Obinna & Ogalah Ibrahim
LAGOS — The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, among others, yesterday raised alarm over increasing migration of medical professionals abroad, warning that the development, popularly known as Japa syndrome, is putting too much pressure on the healthcare system.
To rescue the country from the syndrome, which has led to the near collapse of the country’s healthcare system, the professional bodies also charted a way forward for the government.
President of NARD, Dr Tope Osundara, who raised the alarm at the opening of the association’s 45th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Katsina yesterday, noted that the number of resident doctors in the country had dropped from about 15,000 in 2014 to roughly 8,000 this year.
He said: “The constant quest for better living conditions always drives migration. Migration in Nigeria is fuelled by factors such as poor remuneration, exhaustive working conditions, and a shortage of manpower, which we have witnessed in an unprecedented way.
‘’The exodus of health workers has potentially increased the percentage of critically ill patients, with an inadequate healthcare workforce to cater for their health needs.
“Policies on incentives, salaries, wages should strengthen the morale of health workers, reduce attrition, and align with organisational goals. Training should also be targeted at enhancing employee skill, confidence, and dedication.
‘’For over a decade, there was no attempt through a collective bargaining agreement to enhance the salaries of medical doctors in Nigeria.
“It has been noted that the strongest reward to motivate health workers in Nigeria is payment of salary and other financial incentives.”
While appreciating members of NARD for being able to navigate all of the challenges, Dr Osundare said further: “I’m proud to say to you, thank you, everyone, for your dedication and hard work, which has enabled us to navigate all of these challenges.
“Looking back on my time as your president, it is evident that we have made giant strides in enhancing the welfare of Nardites.’’
Recall that on September 15, NARD suspended its five-day warning strike after just two days, granting the Federal Government a two-week grace period to meet its demands.
The association said it will reconvene on September 26 during its Annual General Meeting to decide on resuming the industrial action.
Osundare said the decision was reached to show goodwill to Nigerians and to allow government time to address lingering welfare issues affecting doctors.
“It is because we want, having negotiated with us, to give government ample time to perfect their plans in addressing all the other concerns.
“Our members felt that since we have also extended a friendly hand, we should extend a hand of goodwill, especially to the Nigerian populace, who are grappling with harsh economic conditions, alongside the challenges they face.”
He said the doctors were not backing down on their demands but only suspended action temporarily.
Govt must give incentives to doctors — NMA
On its part, the Nigeria Medical Association, Lagos State chapter, outlined key measures government must adopt to stem the exodus of doctors.
The chairman, Dr. Babajide Saheed, said: “There are four major things government can do to stop the Japa Syndrome. First, improve remuneration through upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, professional allowances, and implementation of non-taxable call duty allowances.
“Second, provide better welfare packages, including housing loans spread over 10–15 years and car loans over five years.
“Third, invest in the training and re-training of doctors locally and abroad. Fourth, improve infrastructure and create a conducive working environment.”
He stressed that conducive conditions from call rooms, consulting rooms, theatres, and offices to welfare and empathy for professionals were just as important as salary increases in retaining doctors.
Across the board, health professionals warned that Nigeria cannot continue subsidising foreign health systems with its scarce human resources.
They urged government to prioritise fair pay, improved welfare, infrastructure investment, inclusive leadership, and regulatory reforms to stop the brain drain.
Nigeria bleeding from health workforce exodus – AMLSN
Similarly, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, described the mass migration of health professionals as a national emergency.
President of the group, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, said: “Nigeria is bleeding, not through bullets or bombs, but the steady flight of her most critical human resource, her health workforce.
“Every week, doctors, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, pharmacists, and other professionals leave for foreign lands.
“They are not abandoning their country out of disloyalty. They are being pushed away by conditions that make it nearly impossible to serve with dignity at home.”
He noted that tens of thousands of health workers have left in the last three years alone, leaving hospitals and laboratories overstretched, with longer waiting time, declining service quality and rising patient deaths from otherwise preventable conditions.
“Unless decisive action is taken, Nigeria risks hollowing out her health system to the point of collapse,” he warned.
Ifeanyi listed urgent steps, such as fair and timely pay; safe workplaces with proper equipment; structured career growth opportunities; accurate workforce data; ethical management of international recruitment; and diaspora engagement through knowledge transfer and temporary return programmes, as a way out of the present situation.
“The clarion call is clear: the time to act is now. Health workforce migration is draining the lifeblood of our system. Delay will be catastrophic, but decisive action can save lives and restore hope,” he added.
Motivation must be holistic – PSN
Former chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Lagos, who is also member of the PSN Board of Trustees, Bola Oyawole, condemned what he described as “selective compensation” for physicians by the federal ministry of health.
“A holistic motivation through much improved benefit and welfare packages for all health workers, not discriminatory and selective mechanisms for physicians, is what is required,” he said.
He revealed that over 8,000 pharmacists have failed to renew their subscriptions in the past five years due to migration.
According to him, urgent steps to address the situation include approval of new allowances; increase in retirement age; better implementation of the Pharmacists Consultant Cadre; and redressing skewed appointments that favour physicians.
“Legislative action is needed to strengthen pharmaceutical education, practice, and local drug manufacturing. That is the only way to ensure good pharmacy practice and guarantee access for Nigerian patients,” he added.
Govt must take steps on pay, security, equipment to prevent migration – MDCAN
In his reaction, the President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, Prof Appolos Ndukuba urged the federal and state governments to take immediate, deliberate action to increase pay, improve security and equip health facilities.
“Nothing will stop japa completely, but measures can be put in place to reduce it. Dampen the push factors and replicate the pull factors here and japa will reduce to the barest minimum.”
He spoke of an urgent agenda which government could implement immediately to include remuneration, security, reforms and improvement on working environment, among others.
He said government should expedite and implement the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA for health workers and ensure doctors were paid a living wage.
“If our lawmakers can enjoy robust pay, those who save lives should be fairly compensated.
“There is also the need for the government to invest in hospital infrastructure and supply essential tools. No doctor likes to see a patient die because there are no tools to save them,” he said.
While calling for functional theatres, diagnostics and emergency equipment across public hospitals, Prof Ndukuba said: “Also, prioritise protection for health workers and health facilities.’’
The MDCAN President warned that doctors had become easy targets for kidnappers, stressing this was also pushing many health personnel to seek safety abroad.
On pull factors, he noted that destination countries offer competitive pay, career growth, modern equipment and social recognition.
According to him: “Remember how health workers abroad were celebrated after COVID-19. Who wouldn’t want to work where they are valued?”
The MDCAN President reiterated that punitive responses such as mandatory bonding would not work.
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