Health Workforce Migration: Nigeria Partners Other African Countries to Address Challenges

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

In a bid to mitigate the negative effects of exodus of health workers from the continent to other parts of the world, Nigeria and other African countries on Monday commenced a 4-day capacity training for regulators of healthcare services.

Apart from identifying operational gaps in the regulatory institutions, the training was meant to enable the regulators gain greater wisdom and skills needed for informed strategic and operational decisions.

Speaking at the opening of a 4-Day Capacity Building Workshop organised under the auspices of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), the president, Prof. Joel Okullo, said the focus will be on: managing Health workforce mobility, Improving credentialing and Information data management systems.

 “Our collaborative efforts today and over the next few days will lay the groundwork for transformative changes that will resonate across the healthcare landscape of Africa. As we delve into the various sessions, I encourage each one of you to engage actively, share your expertise, and gain new perspectives,” he said.

Okullo who expressed concern over reports that no fewer than 16,000 medical professionals had left Nigeria within 5 years, said the training will focus on, “exploring innovative approaches to healthcare regulation and leadership, ensuring that operators of the institutions are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of our communities.

“We also recognise the importance of embracing technology and innovation in enhancing healthcare delivery. By integrating modern solutions, we can improve efficiency and accessibility, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for our people.

“Let us remain open to new ideas and approaches, as they are the catalysts for growth and improvement,” he said.

Okullo explained that the whole idea of the workshop was to build the capacity of regulators in the healthcare services sector, for them to know their responsibilities and to support them by letting them share experiences with each other.

“We use this opportunity to highlight best practices and identify gaps and how we can address those gaps. This time we have deliberately looked at health workforce migration which affects the countries in Africa,” he said.

Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Mohammad Pate, said the training was organised in recognition of the fact that the continent needs to urgently address the issues arising from health workforce migration and to fill existing gaps in service delivery and manpower.

Pate said: “We have here leading experts on medical education from all the countries in the African region converge here in Abuja to share knowledge, experience and strategize on how we can collectively as African continent rebuild our health workforce and maintain our standards. And to also collectively face the challenges of health workforce migration”.

Speaking on harnessing the Diaspora manpower as a strategic asset, Pate said that just as the current administration was focused on improving the healthcare system, it is also unlocking the value of our diaspora healthcare professionals.

He said that the ministry is collaborating with Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and regulatory councils, to create a structured reintegration pathways and streamlined credentialing for returnee medical professionals.

Under the initiative, the minister said government is providing support for setting up private practice, academic reintegration opportunities; remote teaching, mentorship, and digital exchange.

He said that the Chairman and Registrar of MDCN are currently engaged in the mapping of domestic and diaspora workforce as well as monitoring international recruitment agencies.

He also said that the regulatory council is guiding the reintegration of returning professionals into the country’s health system.

The minister said one of the ways the present administration is trying to retain highly trained professionals is to make sure that adequate infrastructure is in place to provide the needed conducive environment for them to excel.

 “In the last two years, we have invested over N100 billion on installation of cancer equipment in health institutions located in the sux geopolitical zones of the country.

MDCN Chairman Prof. Afolabi Lesi urged regulators to uphold top training standards. “The reality is that while we have committed and clear directions at the level of governance, implementation of actions is bedeviled by fractured and fractious relationships among health workers who ought to be working as a team,” he said, adding that the patient’s wellbeing should come first.

Lesi thanked AMCOA for choosing Nigeria to host the 2025 workshop, a decision made in 2024 in Zambia.