In a significant surge since May 29, 2023, a staggering 1,197 doctors, originally trained in Nigeria, have made the pivotal decision to ‘Japa’ (migrate) to the United Kingdom.
This noteworthy migration catapults Nigeria on a trajectory to potentially surpass Pakistan, emerging as the second-largest contributor of foreign-trained doctors in the UK.
India currently holds the highest position, as per the official records from the General Medical Council (GMC) register, the authoritative repository of UK medical practitioners.
From May 29 to December 1, 2023, a total of 1,197 Nigerian-trained doctors secured licenses to practice in the UK.
This influx brings the cumulative count of licensed Nigerian doctors in the UK to a noteworthy 12,198.
It’s crucial to note that this figure excludes doctors trained in Nigeria who have chosen to practice in other nations.
Breaking down the numbers across various medical specializations, the data reveals a nuanced landscape:
73 Nigerian-trained doctors in anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine
61 in emergency medicine
241 in general medicine
207 in obstetrics and gynecology
17 in occupational medicine
16 in ophthalmology
164 in pediatrics
50 in pathology
35 in public health
357 in psychiatry
29 in psychiatry and 135 in surgery.
This escalating migration of medical professionals has sparked apprehension, particularly within the Nigerian Medical Association.
There’s a palpable fear that Nigeria might face the prospect of importing doctors in the future, given the alarming rate of brain drain.
Examining historical trends, the figures manifest a concerning pattern: in 2015, 233 Nigerian doctors moved to the UK; this number surged to 279 in 2016, 475 in 2017, and reached a staggering 1,347 in 2019.
Even in the challenging year of 2020, marked by GMC operational closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, 833 doctors migrated. The trend persisted with 932 doctors leaving in 2021.
Professor Emem Bassey, Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, sheds light on the growing unease about brain drain.
He emphasizes that it’s not only the UK that attracts professionals; other African nations like Sierra Leone and Gambia are luring specialists from Nigeria with significantly higher wages.
This exodus is creating a profound crisis in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, as professionals across various medical disciplines continue to depart the country in substantial numbers.
