The Nigerian government has announced plans to bring back 12,400 ‘Japa’ doctors who left the country for better opportunities abroad. This move is part of an effort to address the ongoing healthcare crisis and boost the nation’s medical workforce.

On Monday, the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration was sanctioned by President Bola Tinubu to tackle the ongoing outflow of Nigerian physicians overseas.

The objective of the policy, which was declared on Tuesday via Prof Muhammad Pate’s X account – Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, is to attract approximately 12,400 doctors from Nigeria who are presently practicing in foreign countries.

Pate, who was featured on Channels TV Tuesday night, asserts that solely the United Kingdom employs 67% of Nigerian-educated physicians.

Shouldn’t the countries that recruit our professionals for employment also be accountable for supporting us in enhancing their education and training? As migration of healthcare workers remains a persistent challenge, it is unlikely to come to an end anytime soon.

Nigerian doctors will be in high demand in the UK, as 67% of our doctors go there and Nigerian nationals make up 25% of the NHIS workforce.

According to the minister, Nigerians possess great energy, initiative and competence regardless of their location. Therefore, if they refrain from seeking services in the UK such as healthcare which many rely on, it could negatively impact NHS’s ability to cater for them.

According to Pate, the President’s signed policy was not solely a reaction to the continued departure of healthcare professionals. Rather, it constituted an all-encompassing plan that aimed at regulating and steering health workers’ migration in reverse order.

Although health workers believed the policy could have a positive impact, they requested specific information about its details and implementation strategy.

The health minister declared the policy on a Tuesday, stating that HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT and his council had given their approval for an innovative approach towards healthcare human resource management in Nigeria.

The National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is aimed at addressing the critical challenges that confront Nigeria’s health personnel. Through his position as the AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, Mr President demonstrates a powerful commitment to creating a durable and robust healthcare system with this policy that looks ahead to future needs.

This policy represents more than just a reaction to the continuous departure of healthcare professionals. It offers an all-encompassing approach that focuses on managing, directing and reversing health worker migration. Its ultimate goal is to create a robust workforce that is properly supported, sufficiently compensated and efficiently utilized in order to cater for the medical requirements of every Nigerian citizen.

Numerous healthcare professionals from Nigeria depart the country in search of better opportunities, thereby leaving their colleagues to deal with increased workload and extended shifts.

As per their perspective, the push factors include insufficient equipment, increasingly precarious safety measures, unsatisfactory working conditions and an unfavorable salary structure.

According to the minister, a vital aspect of the plan involved implementing the Nigeria Human Health Resource Programme. This initiative would establish guidelines for periodically evaluating working conditions and ensuring that healthcare professionals in remote or neglected regions were adequately acknowledged and compensated.

The policy’s objective is to encourage the development and stability of a working atmosphere that will keep Nigeria’s finest employees.

The integration of advanced health technologies is imperative in a world that’s becoming increasingly digital. The policy places emphasis on the establishment of digital health infrastructure, which includes electronic medical records, telehealth and an all-inclusive registry for healthcare workforce. It symbolizes a noteworthy advance toward making our health system more effective and data-centric. These advancements will facilitate efficient delivery of care while promoting fair distribution of healthcare workers to guarantee every Nigerian has access to quality services they deserve.

READ ALSO: 67% of Nigerian Doctors Work in the UK; NHS at Risk if They Leave – Minister

The core of this policy lies in building capacity. It acknowledges the significance of ongoing professional growth, along with forming strategic partnerships and providing chances for international training to equip our healthcare practitioners with advanced skills. As per his statement, this emphasis on developing human capital reflects our dedication towards keeping and empowering our healthcare workforce.

The policy was aimed at handling the return and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals from abroad, as he emphasized.

According to the minister, implementing simplified registration procedures and offering appealing incentives would not simply stimulate skilled professionals to come back but also actively reintegrate them into the healthcare system.

Our strategy utilizes the knowledge of our Diaspora to close gaps present in the healthcare industry. In addition, our policy seeks to establish mutually beneficial agreements with other countries that provide for a fair exchange of health workers benefiting Nigeria. These arrangements are designed with caution and consideration towards protecting national interests while acknowledging and supporting the professional ambitions of our medical personnel. We implore participating nations to enforce an equitable 1:1 ratio – whereby they train one worker as replacement for every Nigerian public-trained staff received.

Acknowledging the significance of achieving a balance between work and personal life, our policy incorporates various provisions such as regular health assessments, mental wellness support, and fair working hours for junior physicians. Our objective is to foster a supportive workplace that reduces burnout rates while boosting job gratification levels.

The National Human Resources for Health Programme, in partnership with state governments, will oversee the management of this policy. This collaborative effort guarantees a responsible and coherent implementation aligned with wider health objectives across the sector.

The National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is poised to safeguard Nigeria’s healthcare system with this impactful decision. With the guidance of Mr President, our health sector will experience a boost in its development and guarantee that all citizens have access to superior medical care.

Pate has invited all stakeholders to participate in constructing a healthcare system that embodies our country’s capabilities and potential while beginning this venture.

The government is in talks with nations that attract Nigerian healthcare professionals to enhance the country’s health training infrastructure, Senior Adviser for Media and External Relations Tashikalmah Hallah clarified while elaborating on the policy.