By Suleiman Mustapha
Chief Medical Director of National Hospital (CMD) Professor Muhammad Raji, has said that exodus of Nigerian health workers to foreign land has reduced its workforce from 3,000 to 2,500.
Speaking on the hospital’s growth over its 25-year history, the CMD recalled that it began operations with a small staff, offering services for women and children.
He lamented that the staff exodus occurred despite the hospital`s efforts to curtail it.
He said that the hospital has 2,500 workforce, adding that “If it was not for the brain drain affecting our workforce, we will be talking about 3,000 today.”
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.
“These professionals spend two weeks here and then return at their convenience, benefiting both them and our healthcare system,” he explained.
