As Nigeria marks its 65th Independence anniversary, the country’s healthcare system faces an escalating crisis driven by the mass exodus of doctors and medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
Hospitals across the country are grappling with severe shortages of qualified personnel, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of inadequate healthcare delivery. Many public health facilities operate with limited staff, forcing patients to endure long waiting hours, high out-of-pocket expenses, and in some cases, avoidable fatalities.
According to health sector analysts, thousands of Nigerian doctors have emigrated in the past decade, attracted by higher pay, improved working conditions, and advanced medical infrastructure overseas. The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) recently warned that the trend could cripple Nigeria’s already overstretched healthcare system if urgent interventions are not made.
Stakeholders have called on the federal government to prioritize healthcare funding, provide incentives for medical workers, and implement policies that can curb the brain drain.
For millions of Nigerians, however, the immediate reality remains grim—access to quality healthcare is increasingly out of reach, and survival often depends on personal sacrifices in the absence of adequate public medical support.
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