The National Hospital in Abuja says the brain drain affecting the health sector has reduced its workforce from 3,000 to 2,500 people (a loss of about 17 percent).
This is despite 25 years of medical advancements and a significant expansion of staff, 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 continued impact amid these staffing challenges.
Reflecting on the hospital's remarkable growth over its 25-year history, the CMD said it began operating with a small number of staff, offering limited services mainly to women and children.
“Today we offer comprehensive treatment for all genders and ages.
“Our services have grown significantly over the years, and so has our workforce,” he said.
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He said the hospital now has at least 2,500 employees, noting that “if it weren’t for the brain drain affecting our workforce, we would be talking about 3,000 today.”
He also highlighted the hospital's pioneering achievements, including being the first in Africa to have an Alinach machine and being a leader in Nigeria in in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
“Notable achievements include separating conjoined twins, performing the first fully awake open brain surgery, and pioneering treatments for chronic arthritis and brain surgery.
“The hospital also celebrated the birth of sextuplets, all of whom survived,” she said.
He recalled that years ago many Nigerians left for the Middle East in search of better opportunities, a trend that has recently resurfaced.
“The migration of health professionals from Nigeria to other countries has reached alarming levels, posing challenges in maintaining adequate staffing in Nigerian hospitals.
“It is not easy to get as many healthcare professionals as we need, especially with the increasing number of professionals migrating abroad,” he said.
However, he said he was hopeful of reversing the trend through innovative collaborations with the Nigerian diaspora.
“The hospital has established partnerships that allow Nigerian medical professionals working abroad to return on a rotating basis.
“These professionals spend two weeks here and then return when it suits them, which benefits both them and our health system,” he explained.
He urged the government and the private sector to create an enabling working environment to encourage more health workers to stay or return to Nigeria.
He expressed optimism about the re-engagement of 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 September 2 to 8.
The main event on September 4 will include conferences, a gala and an awards evening.
The event will focus on the importance of partnerships in addressing challenges such as brain drain and medical tourism, with the aim of attracting both Nigerians and non-Nigerians to the hospital.
(YAYA)