"The migration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria to other countries has reached alarming levels."
The National Hospital in Abuja says the brain drain plaguing the health sector has reduced its workforce from 3,000 to 2,500 (about 17 per cent loss).
This is in spite of its 25 years of medical breakthroughs and significant staff expansion, the hospital said.
The Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Muhammad Raji, discussed these challenges in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Raji highlighted the hospital's achievements and its ongoing impact amid these staffing challenges.
Reflecting on the hospital's remarkable growth over its 25-year history, the CMD said it began operations with a small number of members of staff, offering limited services primarily for women and children.
"Today, we provide comprehensive treatment for all genders and ages.
"Our services have grown significantly over the years, and so has our workforce," he said.
He mentioned that the hospital now had at least 2,500 employees, pointing out that "If it was not for the brain drain affecting our workforce, we would be talking about 3,000 today."
He also underscored the hospital's pioneering achievements, including being the first in Africa to have an Alinach Machine and leading in Nigeria for Invitro Fertilisation (IVF).
"Notable milestones include separating conjoined twins, performing the first open brain surgery with the patient fully awake, and pioneering treatments for chronic arthritis and brain surgeries.
"The hospital also celebrated the birth of sextuplets, all of whom survived," he said.
He recalled that years ago, many Nigerians left for the Middle East for better opportunities, a trend that had recently resurfaced.
"The migration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria to other countries has reached alarming levels, posing challenges for maintaining adequate staffing in Nigerian hospitals.
"It's not easy to get as many healthcare workers as we need, especially with the increasing number of professionals migrating abroad," he noted.
However, he said he was hopeful about reversing the trend through innovative collaborations with the Nigerian diaspora.
"The hospital has established partnerships allowing Nigerian medical professionals working abroad to return on a rotational basis.
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"These professionals spend two weeks here and then return at their convenience, benefiting both them and our healthcare system," he explained.
He urged the government and private sector to create a conducive working environment to encourage more healthcare workers to stay or return to Nigeria.
He expressed optimism about re-engaging Nigerian medical professionals abroad through these collaborations, which helped improve the overall quality of healthcare services.
NAN reports that the National Hospital will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a week of activities from 2 September to 8 September.
The main event on 4 September will feature lectures, a gala, and an award night.
The event will focus on the importance of partnerships in tackling challenges such as brain drain and medical tourism, aiming to attract both Nigerians and non-Nigerians to the hospital.
(NAN)
