The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have lamented the dearth of manpower across the healthcare facilities in the country.

NARD made this known in a communique issued on Monday after its Ordinary General Meeting held in Kaduna from May 27 to June 1st, 2024, with the theme, ‘Journey towards universal health coverage: Nigeria’s status amidst financial crisis and epidemiologic transition.’

Its President, Dele Abdullah; the Secretary-General, Dr Christopher Anaduaka; and the Public and Social Secretary, Dr John Egbe, signed the communique.

The resident doctors said the manpower gap has resulted in a high workload on their members in the country, and asked the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Organised Labour.

Last week, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate decried that developing countries like Nigeria continue to lose their highly trained health professionals to developed countries that did not invest in their first professional education.

Pate, however, said the country is taking responsibility and striving to rebuild the national health system, improve its governance, strengthen public health capacities, and unlock our healthcare value.

Meanwhile, in its communique, NARD noted that bigger health facilities are bearing the greater brunt of the shortage.

They also raised concerns about the alarming increase in assaults on health workers across the country.

They, however, called on the government to implement a cap on work hours to address overwork and burnout among healthcare professionals.

Furthermore, they called for the abolishment of the casualisation of doctors to ensure fair and secure employment practices.