The MDCAN said the survey carried out in
March 2022 by its Medical Education Committee also found that over 500 medical
and dental consultants had left Nigeria for developed countries over the
preceding two years.
The association made this known in a
statement signed by its President, Dr Victor Makanjuola, and made available to
The PUNCH on Wednesday.
The statement read in part, “Disturbed by
the impact of this ugly trend on our country’s health sector growth and development,
the MDCAN has conducted a survey among its chapters in March 2022 and found
that over 500 medical and dental consultants had left Nigeria for more
developed countries over the preceding two years.
“A further exploration of data by the
association’s Medical Education Committee showed that nine out of every 10
medical and dental consultants with less than five years experience on the job
had plans to leave the country.
“Furthermore, the Nigerian Medical
Association recently reported that only 24,000 doctors are currently registered
to practise in Nigeria, giving a ratio of one doctor to over 8,000 Nigerians,
against the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one doctor to
every 600 people.
“It is important to note that the average
medical and dental consultant is not only a clinician but also doubles as a
teacher for medical students and doctors in specialist (residency) training.
It, therefore, goes without saying that the loss of this category of highly
skilled workforce to other countries will not only have an immediate negative
impact on clinical service delivery but will leave a long-term devastating
impact on the training of future doctors in Nigeria.”
According to the association, the country
produces approximately 12,000 doctors per year to meet the required number of
doctors in the country.
“Anecdotal projections indicate that the
3,000 fresh medical and dental doctors, on average, produced by our local
medical schools in Nigeria and another 1,000 produced by foreign medical
schools, fall far short of the number of such healthcare personnel required to
meet the country’s yearly medical manpower supply needs, estimated to fall
between 10,000 and 12,000 (about three times the current rate),” it added.
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