FG: Only 300,000 Healthcare Workers Catering for over 200 Million Nigerians

•MLSCN inducts 395 foreign trained graduates

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The federal government has said only about 300,000 health professionals are currently attending to the healthcare needs of over 200 million Nigerians.

The worrisome statistics came on the heels of the induction of 395 foreign graduates of Medical Laboratory Science by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) in Abuja.

Addressing the inductees at a solemn ceremony held at the headquarters of MLSCN in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said that federal government was in a hurry to reposition the health sector to bring it at par with its peers in other countries.

He lamented that the massive exodus of health professionals from Nigeria has led to a significant shortage of personnel required for the growth of the health sector.

Alausa said: “Suffice it to say that the federal government is in a hurry to reposition the health sector to bring it at par with its peers in other countries, especially those we often seek to benchmark.

“The narrative that we spend over $2 billion out of our meagre foreign reserves on health tourism is neither acceptable nor sustainable. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to ensure a better narrative and outcome for the health sector.

“Furthermore, the exodus of health professionals in search of so-called greener pastures has led to a significant shortage of personnel required for the growth of the health sector.

“Based on recent data, we have about 300,000 health professionals attending to the healthcare needs of over 200 million people. This is grossly inadequate and puts enormous pressure on the available workforce.”

The Minister said in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders, including MLSCN, the federal government was taking necessary steps to improve and stabilise the health sector.

While congratulating the inductees the Registrar of MLSCN, Tosan Erhabor, said the Council recognised the need to do something urgently to fill gaps created limited training facilities 

“In our quest to deliver on the above mandate, the Council had to review the process of admitting into the profession those, who trained outside the country’s shores.

“The review revealed gaps in training arising from cultural orientation, infrastructure, equipment, as well as processes to which those, who trained in-country were accustomed.

“As a responsible regulator, MLSCN moved to bridge the gaps by introducing the re-training program to familiarise those affected with the reality of the health laboratory system here,” he said.

He said 395 graduates inducted on Wednesday were among the 11th batch re-trained by the Council under the new policy.