A newly released policy brief has raised concerns over Nigeria’s struggling healthcare workforce, warning that inadequate staffing, poor distribution of health workers, and weak motivation pose serious threats to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The report, published by Development Governance International (DGI) Consult on Thursday in Abuja, highlighted alarming health indicators, including Nigeria’s infant mortality rate of 69 deaths per 1,000 live births, significantly higher than the Sub-Saharan African average of 49. Additionally, only 50 per cent of births in the country are attended by skilled health professionals, contributing to high maternal and child mortality rates.
According to the managing partner of DGI Consult and co-convenor of the UHC2023 Forum, Dr. Gafar Alawode Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing a severe shortage of frontline workers, particularly in rural areas. He warned that without a well-structured and motivated health workforce, achieving quality healthcare for all Nigerians will remain a distant goal.
The report outlined some of the government’s efforts to address these critical issues, including the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCOUR) policy, which aims to streamline healthcare workforce management at the state level. Other interventions, such as the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS) and the Community Health Influencers Promoters Service (CHIPS), have been deployed to improve healthcare access in underserved regions.
However, the challenges remain significant. Findings from a human resources for health (HRH) analysis across 10 states, including Lagos, Kaduna, and Borno, revealed that many health facilities remain severely understaffed. Policies intended to ensure the equitable distribution of health workers have yet to be fully implemented, further widening healthcare gaps.
Meanwhile, stakeholders have called on the government to fast-track the implementation of the 10-year Primary Health Care HRH Strategic Plan and take urgent steps to improve working conditions to curb the migration of Nigerian health workers abroad.
“This is a national emergency,” warned Dr. Oladipo Shehu, a public health expert. He stressed that if immediate action is not taken, Nigeria will continue to lose its best medical professionals to other countries, worsening the crisis and severely impacting public health.
With Nigeria’s health indicators lagging behind regional averages, experts insist that strengthening human resources for health should be a top priority if the country is to meet its UHC goals by 2030.
