In the previous six weeks alone, 162 doctors with medical training in Nigeria have received licences to practise in the UK, according to information obtained by ANAEDOONLINE.NG.
According to the General Medical Council of the UK’s registration, this is the case. The official list of doctors in the UK is kept up to date by the GMC, a public organisation.
The number of doctors trained in Nigeria who are currently practising in the UK increased from 10,824 to 10,986, according to our correspondent, who has been watching the GMC website for the past 42 days.
This suggests that from February 2 to March 15, 2023, at least three doctors with medical training in Nigeria received licences each day.
Nigeria has been faced with worrying brain drain in recent times, with many professionals, including doctors, leaving the country for greener pastures.
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It was also observed that Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India (31,979) and Pakistan (18,490).
While the Federal Government claimed that brain drain is not peculiar to Nigeria, the World Health Organisation warned that this could negatively impact the health care system and hinder progress towards achieving universal health coverage and health security.
A 2023 health workforce support and safeguards list report by the WHO showed that Nigeria and 36 other African countries face the most pressing health workforce challenges related to UHC.
The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Emeka Orji, said, “There is a need for a review of the salary structure, and the government needs to work with the medical bodies to resolve their lingering concerns.”
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Also reacting, the President of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, Dr Victor Makanjuola, said the country needed to produce about 12,000 doctors annually to meet the required number of physicians.
Makanjuola said the disturbing analysis shows that nine out of every 10 medical and dental consultants with less than five years of experience plan to leave the country for greener pastures.
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