Emem Julius, Israel Bulus, Umar Sani and Bankole Taiwo
The Nigerian Medical Association has raised concerns over Nigeria’s dwindling medical workforce, urging state governments to expand medical training, improve doctors’ welfare and strengthen healthcare infrastructure to stem the migration of skilled professionals.
The association’s branches in Cross River, Kaduna, Bauchi and Ogun made the calls on Monday during briefings to mark the 2026 Physicians’ Week, warning that inadequate staffing, poor remuneration, insecurity and limited career development opportunities were undermining healthcare delivery.
The Cross River State NMA secretary, Dr Ukam Edadi, while briefing journalists ahead of activities lined up for the 2026 Physicians’ Week of the state chapter, urged the government to ensure that the successful candidates of the recently conducted interviews for the recruitment of 40 doctors commenced work without delay.
“We are waiting for those doctors to start work. They should start immediately,” he said.
He noted that the state-owned university did not currently offer medicine and surgery or several allied health professional courses, urging the government to address the gap.
Edadi said the introduction of the programmes would help build a pool of locally trained medical professionals to meet the state’s healthcare needs and provide the manpower required for a proposed state-owned specialist hospital.
“We are encouraging this government to ensure that they start those programmes so that we can have a pool of young Cross Riverians who will be trained in medicine and surgery,” he said.
The NMA secretary stressed that establishing a specialist hospital without developing the manpower to operate it would undermine the purpose of the project.
The Kaduna NMA raised the alarm over the shortage of medical doctors in the state, disclosing that only about 1,600 doctors are currently licensed to practise, compared with approximately 2,000 previously.
The state chairman of the association, Dr Aisha Mustapha, said the declining number of doctors, coupled with insecurity, poor remuneration, professional burnout and inadequate healthcare infrastructure, was threatening effective healthcare delivery.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the 2026 National Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria,” Mustapha said Kaduna had an estimated doctor-to-population ratio of one physician to 6,000 residents, describing the situation as a major challenge requiring urgent intervention.
“The number of doctors currently licensed to practise in Kaduna State is approximately 1,600. We used to have about 2,000, but because of all these challenges, the numbers keep declining,” she said.
Mustapha warned that the declining workforce was increasing the pressure on available doctors, making it necessary for the government to strengthen recruitment and retention measures.
She identified poor remuneration, inadequate staffing, limited career progression, insecurity and difficult working conditions as some of the factors discouraging doctors from remaining in the state’s healthcare system.
The NMA chairman acknowledged efforts by the state government to improve doctors’ remuneration but said more needed to be done to ensure that doctors in general hospitals were not disadvantaged.
Mustapha called for salary harmonisation and improved working conditions to encourage doctors to remain in public hospitals and provide essential medical services to residents.
She called for improved staffing, reasonable duty schedules, adequate rest periods and access to healthcare and psychological support for medical professionals.
Similarly, the Bauchi State NMA called on the state and federal governments to improve healthcare workers’ working conditions and introduce measures to retain skilled medical personnel amid rising doctor migration.
The association also urged the Bauchi State Government to commence internship and postgraduate medical training at the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, as part of efforts to retain doctors trained in the state.
Speaking during a press briefing to mark the 2026 Physicians’ Week, the vice chairman, Dr Bello Abdullahi, said the annual event provided an opportunity to address challenges threatening the medical profession and consider the future of healthcare delivery in the country.
He said, “Medicine in Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We are proud of our achievements, our resilience and our capacity to deliver under difficult circumstances.
“Yet, we must also acknowledge the realities confronting our profession: increasing workloads, inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, declining remuneration and welfare, professional burnout, migration of our colleagues and rising health risks among physicians.”
Abdullahi added that the future of medicine could be secured only through deliberate action, strategic investment, and collective responsibility.
He added that “A physician who is physically exhausted, emotionally depleted, chronically stressed and personally neglected cannot indefinitely provide the quality of care our patients deserve.”
He also condemned attacks, threats and intimidation against medical personnel, insisting that hospitals must remain safe environments for both healthcare workers and patients.
The Ogun NMA urged the state government to increase healthcare funding to at least 15 per cent of its budget, improve doctors’ welfare and strengthen public hospitals ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The association also called on governorship candidates and political parties to present clear, measurable and adequately funded healthcare plans for the 2027–2031 period, warning that healthcare must be a priority in the state’s political discourse.
The state NMA chairman, Dr Sunday Enimola, during a press briefing held as part of activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week, said the state must treat healthcare as a strategic investment in the security, productivity and prosperity of its people rather than a peripheral issue in political campaigns.
“The incoming administration should progressively increase investment in healthcare in line with Nigeria’s national health financing commitments, with transparent budgeting, efficient resource utilisation, and measurable outcomes.
“The percentage of 13 per cent from 2025 to 2026 can be improved upon. Abuja Declaration minimum benchmark is 15 per cent. This percentage should be met or surpassed.
“Priority should be given to primary healthcare, essential medicines, medical equipment, healthcare infrastructure, disease prevention, and the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel.
“The government should also strengthen public-private partnerships that expand access to quality healthcare without compromising patient safety, professional standards, or equitable access.
“The incoming government should develop and implement a comprehensive healthcare workforce policy that addresses staffing shortages, remuneration, career progression, professional development, workplace conditions, and staff motivation.
“There should be deliberate efforts to attract and retain doctors and other healthcare professionals in the state, including those serving in rural and underserved communities,” he said.
The doctors also advocated a digital health strategy incorporating electronic medical records, telemedicine, interoperable health information systems and other digital tools to improve patient care and public health management.
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