Nigeria loses 6,058 doctors to UK on Buhari’s watch
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigeria has lost at least 6,058 medical doctors to the United Kingdom alone since Muhammadu Buhari became President in May 2015, a period of seven years in which he has weakened all institutions of state through sheer incompetence.
Other popular destinations for Nigerian doctors include the United States, Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.
Data obtained from the UK General Medical Council (GMC) shows 10,096 Nigeria-trained doctors migrated to that county by 30 August. The figure does not include Nigerian doctors working in the UK who were trained outside Nigeria.
According to the data, as reported by The PUNCH, the number of Nigerian doctors who passed GMC examination and got licence to practise in the UK each year between 2015 and 2022 is as follows:
- 2015 – 233
- 2016 – 279
- 2017 – 475
- 2018 – 852
- 2019 – 1,347
- 2020 – 833
- 2021 – 932
- 2022 (by August) – 1,107
- Total – 6,058
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Nigeria has third-highest number of doctors in UK
Nigeria has the third highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK after India and Pakistan, according to British Home Office data.
Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Publicity Secretary Alfa Yusuf described brain drain as a menace in the health sector and expressed fear it may get to a stage where Nigeria will have to scout for doctors.
“The only way to solve this is for the government to come up with a policy to address brain drain: good remuneration, hazard allowance paid as and when due and introduction of tax rebate, especially to health care workers,” he told The PUNCH.
“They should also give packages that entice our doctors to other countries. They should look at packages that will make our doctors stay in the country and not go elsewhere.”
