Japa: Health Minister Proposes Ethical Workforce Replacement

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Mohammed Pate, recently addressed the significant migration of Nigerian medical professionals to countries like the United Kingdom.

During an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, Pate highlighted the critical role Nigerian-trained doctors and nurses play in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), noting that 67% of Nigerian physicians are employed in the UK, and a quarter of the NHS staff are of Nigerian origin.

Pate pointed out the global demand for Nigerian-trained healthcare workers, emphasizing that if these professionals were to withdraw from the NHS, it would have a severe impact on the UK’s healthcare system. He proposed that countries benefiting from the expertise of Nigerian health workers, such as the UK, should participate in preservice education programs in Nigeria to balance the outflow of talent with local training needs.

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The minister suggested that international cooperation could involve agreements where countries hiring Nigerian doctors also contribute to training more healthcare workers in Nigeria. This concept, which he referred to as “ethical replacement and health diplomacy,” would ensure that while some health professionals migrate, others are trained to fill the gaps they leave behind.

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Pate also addressed the issue of the significant exodus of Nigerian health workers, with more than 75% of those trained in the past year leaving the country for opportunities abroad. He affirmed that the government would not restrict the freedom of these professionals to migrate but would focus on creating a more conducive environment in Nigeria to retain and attract talent. This includes improving welfare, enhancing capacity development, and incentivizing those who have left to return.

He mentioned the recently approved National Policy on Health Workforce Migration, endorsed by President Bola Tinubu, as a step towards addressing these challenges by improving conditions for medical professionals and encouraging them to remain in Nigeria.

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