The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has said not less than 40,000 of its members left the country between 2021 and 2023.
The Registrar of the council, Faruk Abubakar said this while speaking on the controversy surrounding the nurses’ certificate verification on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Morning Brief.
Mr Abubakar noted that the number of nurses leaving the country is increasing every year, noting that over 40,000 nurses left the country in the last three years.
He said in 2023 only, over 15,000 nurses and midwives left the country to seek greener pastures in developed nations.
“About 42,000 nurses left the country in the last three years. Last year alone, it was over 15,000, the number is increasing year by year,” he said.
He said to reduce the exodus of nurses, the Federal Ministry of Health is working towards improving their welfare.
Mr Abubakar said the federal government is working hard to ensure a very conducive working environment, with the provision of state-of-art equipment, and instruments, that will help medical practitioners provide quality care for Nigerians.
“And I want to assure (you) that within a couple of months, a lot has been integrated and provided in 2024 that will improve the welfare of the nurses that we are talking about,” he said.
“There is a lot of progress that is going on to review the salary and nurses are also included in that policy. I think it’s a general phenomenon, all other sectors are also complaining, and the government is doing a lot.”
Brain Drain
The brain drain phenomenon poses severe challenges to the Nigerian healthcare system, depleting the skilled workforce essential for providing quality care to the population.
The departure of 15,000 healthcare professionals in 2023 alone underscores the urgency of addressing the root causes contributing to this escalating crisis.
The shortage of healthcare workers compromises the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery, hindering the nation’s progress in achieving robust health outcomes.