The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has raised an alarm over the drastic decline in the number of medical consultants in the country. According to the association’s President, Prof. Muhammad Mohammad, as of February 2024, only about 6,000 medical consultants remain in Nigeria. This is a significant reduction, especially considering that over the past five years, around 1,300 consultants have left the country in search of better opportunities abroad.
The worrying trend is largely attributed to what has become known as the “Japa” syndrome, a term used to describe the mass exodus of skilled professionals from Nigeria in search of greener pastures. This migration has been exacerbated by poor working conditions, low pay, and a general lack of support for healthcare professionals in the country.
Speaking at the MDCAN National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Ilorin, Prof. Mohammad shared the dismal statistics with members. He highlighted that about 1,700 consultants are currently over the age of 55, and they are expected to retire in the next few years. The retirement age for medical consultants is 60, which means the healthcare system will face an even more severe shortage of consultants as these professionals exit.
“The number of consultants will continue to shrink as long as the country is producing only one or two medical consultants annually,” said Mohammad. He stressed that the country’s educational system is not generating enough replacements to compensate for the high number of consultants leaving the system due to migration and retirement.
The MDCAN president also noted that the situation is further compounded by the fact that medical schools in Nigeria are not producing enough qualified personnel to fill the gaps. This has led to a growing concern about the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Despite these challenges, Mohammad acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian government in attempting to find solutions to these issues. He expressed hope that reforms would be introduced to allow medical consultants to extend their years of service, ideally up to 70 years, while other healthcare workers could serve until 65. This would help retain experienced professionals in the system, thereby maintaining a level of expertise in the country.
In addition to pushing for longer service years, MDCAN is also calling for improvements in the remuneration of healthcare workers. Mohammad appealed to the government to place medical lectures on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to address salary disparities. The call for a fairer salary structure aims to make the medical profession more attractive and reduce the incentive for doctors to seek work outside the country.
“We want a working environment where we can practice our profession with dignity and deliver the best possible healthcare to the people,” Mohammad added.
The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, who attended the meeting, emphasized the importance of effective policy-making to ensure the provision of quality healthcare services. She stressed that policies must be tailored to the unique needs of different states and regions and should be clearly communicated to the public.
“It is important that policies are targeted toward the right segments, and are domesticated to meet the peculiarities of each state or region,” said El-Imam. “When properly executed, these policies can help safeguard the health of the population.”
Nigeria’s healthcare system had been introduced in the past but had failed to bring about meaningful change. He stressed that the meeting was an opportunity to discuss practical solutions to these challenges, including addressing the Japa syndrome.
The issue of doctors leaving the country in droves is a growing concern, especially as Nigeria struggles to provide quality healthcare to its citizens. The combination of poor working conditions, inadequate remuneration, and the allure of better opportunities abroad has led to a significant drain of skilled professionals from the healthcare sector.
The federal and state governments will need to implement urgent and sustainable reforms to reverse this trend. Some experts argue that addressing issues such as better compensation, improved working environments, and long-term policy changes could help retain Nigeria’s best healthcare professionals and encourage those who have left to return.
