Doctor exodus threatens Nigeria’s health system as Ikefuna takes helm at NPMCN

2026-03-08 - 01:56

... As Postgraduate College unveils reforms to strengthen specialist training By Chioma Obinna Medical doctors have raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening brain drain as Prof. Anthony Ikefuna was formally invested as the 24th President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, NPMCN. They warned that the continued migration of doctors could cripple the country’s health system. At the ceremony attended by government officials, leaders of professional medical bodies and academics, stakeholders congratulated the new president while calling for urgent reforms to strengthen postgraduate medical education and retain specialists in Nigeria. Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Isiaq Adekunle Salako, said the government is actively pursuing reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s health workforce. Represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Abisola Adegoke said: “The ministry is not sleeping. We are making efforts through policy reforms, but implementation requires collaboration from all stakeholders.” Adegoke urged medical professionals to remain committed to the country while the government continues to improve working conditions and expand opportunities in the health sector. “We must all contribute in our own way so that even those abroad will be encouraged to return and share the knowledge they have acquired,” she said. She added that the federal government views the National Postgraduate Medical College as a key partner in the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which aims to strengthen human resources for health and improve healthcare delivery nationwide. Reeling out statistics on the migration of doctors, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, Dr. Fatimah Kyari highlighted the scale of the migration challenge facing the health sector. According to her, about 4,900 doctors and dental surgeons were newly registered in 2024, yet more than 4,200 applied for Certificates of Good Standing, a document often required for overseas employment. “About 66 per cent of those requests were for the United Kingdom,” Kyari said. She added that in 2025, over 5,000 new doctors were registered, while 3,800 applied for the certificate, with the United Kingdom accounting for about 54 per cent of the applications and Canada about 24 per cent. Despite the migration trend, Kyari noted that Nigeria is expanding medical education capacity to address workforce shortages. “The intake capacity for medical and dental students has increased from about 5,700 in 2023 to about 9,100 in 2025,” she said. She explained that the expansion aligns with national health sector reforms aimed at strengthening the supply of healthcare professionals. Also speaking, the President of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, Prof. Apollos Ndukuba, warned that the continued loss of doctors could push the health system toward crisis. “The exam halls are almost getting empty,” Ndukuba said. “Hospitals advertise for residency posts and nobody comes. Those who come cannot be retained, and those who pass the first stage of exams often do not appear for the second stage.” He said Nigeria’s already limited health workforce could deteriorate further if urgent steps are not taken. “A family without children is a family heading toward extinction. As doctors, we must confront the challenges facing our profession before it is too late,” he added. Ndukuba called for stronger collaboration between medical institutions, professional bodies and the government to address the push and pull factors driving doctors abroad. In his inaugural address, Prof. Anthony Ikefuna, a consultant paediatrician and professor at the University of Nigeria, outlined plans to modernise postgraduate medical training and enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian specialists. He announced plans to introduce bimonthly online lectures, competency-based assessments and digital learning platforms to improve training for resident doctors. “Education is evolving in the digital age, and we must apply technology in training so that our graduates can compete with their peers globally,” Ikefuna said. The college also plans to establish clinical skills simulation laboratories, a telemedicine centre and improved digital communication channels for fellows and trainees. Ikefuna acknowledged that the migration of doctors remains a complex challenge. “The brain drain is multifactorial. Our responsibility as a college is to continue training competent specialists who can serve both Nigeria and the global community,’ Earlier, the President of the West African College of Physicians (WACP), Dr. Mamadou Mourtalla Ka, congratulated Ikefuna on behalf of the college’s council and fellows, describing his investiture as a major milestone for postgraduate medical education. “Leadership at this level requires vision, integrity and commitment to excellence,” Mourtalla Ka said. “We are confident that under your guidance the College will continue to advance postgraduate medical education and uphold the highest standards of clinical competence while promoting service to humanity.” He noted that collaboration between the WACP and the Nigerian college over the years in training, examinations and faculty engagement has helped produce specialists serving across Nigeria and the wider West African region. “We are assured of continued partnership and goodwill with the National Postgraduate Medical College as you assume this high office,” he added.