By David Torough, Abuja

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, said over 16,000 Nigerian doctors have left the country in the last five to seven years to seek greener pastures in other countries.

Pate also said the doctor-to-population ratio is now 3.

9 per 10,000 in the country, while the estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds $21,000.

This was as he lamented that nurses and midwives who left have also thinned the numbers of healthcare workers in the country.

The minister disclosed this at the seventh annual capacity building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa in Abuja yesterday with the theme: “Integrated healthcare regulation and leadership in building resilient health systems.

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According to him, an increasing number of Nigeria’s talented healthcare professionals aspire to work in other countries—driven by factors such as economic opportunity, better working conditions, more advanced training, and superior research environments abroad.

He said the migration of health professionals from developing countries is not new, but it has accelerated in recent years.

“In Nigeria alone, over 16,000 doctors are estimated to have left the country in the last five to seven years, with thousands more leaving in just the past few years. Nurses and midwives have also thinned in numbers. The doctor-to-population ratio now stands at around 3.9 per 10,000—well below the suggested global minimum.

“But this trend is not just about people leaving. It represents a fiscal loss. The estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds $21,000—a figure that reflects the magnitude of public financing walking out of our countries. It deeply affects our health systems—leaving many of our rural communities critically underserved.”

He, however, emphasised that the phenomenon offers an opportunity to rethink and reshape the policies, to manage the valuable health workforce in ways that benefit our countries first and foremost.

“In Nigeria, guided by the vision of President Bola Tinubu, who African Heads of State appointed as the AU’s Continental Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery, we are pursuing a new direction. His vision is for Nigeria to become a prosperous, people-oriented country that contributes to a peaceful and thriving continent. Not a standalone Nigeria, but a Nigeria that is interlinked with all our neighbours and sister countries. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, and within the framework of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, we have embraced a new path—combining strategic realism with visionary ambition.

“The National Policy on Health Workforce Migration is a cornerstone of this path. It is designed to address health workforce migration with dignity—dignity for health workers, for the country, and the profession. It is data-driven, evidence-guided, and signals a clear direction. This is not a restrictive policy, nor is it one born out of resignation. We understand that the global health workforce shortage is at 18 million, and countries in the Global North face their human resource crises due to demographics and other factors. But our response is based on stewardship—balancing the rights of health professionals to seek opportunities abroad with our duty to protect the integrity and viability of our national health system.

“The objectives are clear – To retain and motivate health workers currently serving in Nigeria—thousands of whom work under difficult conditions; to establish ethical norms and explore bilateral frameworks for recruitment, aiming to correct global asymmetries; to expand training capacity—not only for domestic needs, but to contribute to global workforce needs, to enable structured reintegration for the thousands of Nigerian professionals abroad; and to strengthen governance, improve regulatory coordination, and build real-time data systems.”

He urged Africa to lead in forging a new global compact on health workforce mobility—anchored in pan-African training and accreditation standards; shared planning tools, evidence, and data; continental negotiating platforms with destination countries; and sustained investments in the people who care for our people.

The President of AMCOA, Prof Joel Okullo, stressed the importance of collaboration among African countries to tackle healthcare challenges and improve regulation and leadership across the continent.

He expressed the belief that the outcome of the workshop would produce actionable strategies to improve healthcare services across Africa.

“This year’s theme highlights our commitment to tackling the diverse array of challenges within the health regulatory landscape. It seeks to empower AMCOA members and associate members with the wisdom and skills needed for informed strategic and operational decisions in the coming year.

“In this intricate regulatory tapestry, our discussions will illuminate strategies and insights that will bolster regulators’ capabilities. Our focus will revolve around managing health workforce mobility, improving credentialing and information data management systems.

“Let us embark on this journey with enthusiasm and a shared sense of purpose. Our collaborative efforts today and over the next few days will lay the groundwork for transformative changes that will resonate across the healthcare landscape of Africa,” he noted.

The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr Fatima Kyari, while welcoming participants to the event, noted that it was Nigeria’s first AMCOA workshop while commending the alignment of leadership towards the shared goal of patient safety.

The Board Chairperson of MDCN, Prof Afolabi Lesi highlighted the need for healthcare regulators to uphold global standards while adapting to local contexts.

Lesi, who is also the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the workshop addressed the challenges of fragmented professional relationships that hinder implementation and compromise patient care.

“The reality is that while we have committed and clear directions at the level of governance, implementation of actions is bedevilled by the fractioned and fractious relationship among health workers who ought to be working as a team, with the patient (well-being and safety) as the primary focus of all our actions,” he said.

From Jude Dangwan, Jos

Following the attacks on some communities in Plateau, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has convened a peace meeting with stakeholders in the area.Oluyede met with the stakeholders on Monday in Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, which came under the recent attacks.

It would be recalled that on April 2, gunmen attacked Hurti, Ruwi, Josho, Daffo, Manguna and other communities of the LGA. More than 40 persons were killed, 383 houses were destroyed, and 1,000 persons were displaced following the attack.Gov. Caleb Mutfwang had described the attacks and killings as a coordinated crime sponsored by conflict merchants and not farmer-herder clashes.Addressing the stakeholders, Oluyede said that the meeting was part of a Non-kinetic approach towards ensuring peaceful coexistence in Bokkos and environs.The COAS called on the residents of the locality to be tolerant, forgive each other, and embrace peace at all times.He promised that troops would continue to be neutral, professional, and fair to all irrespective of tribe and religion.He, however, said this could only be possible if the people made concerted efforts to cooperate with the authorities.“The security agencies can deploy battalion of troops to Bokkos, and yet we may not achieve the desired peace.“The security agencies don’t have the number to deploy personnel to everywhere, so we must learn to coexist together as a people.“Peace in Bokkos and Plateau is possible, but that can be achieved only when we all agree to eschew violence and embrace peace,” he said.The COAS also assured the people that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be arrested and be made to face the full wrath of the law.The COAS, however, promised to deploy more security personnel to the affected communities to protect lives and propertyThe Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Maj.-Gen. Folusho Oyinlola commended the COAS for organising the meeting.Oyinlola, who doubles as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Rukuba, said that the stakeholders’ engagement was apt, considering the rising security challenges in the locality.He promised to collaborate with other security agencies towards ensuring a peaceful farming season in the area.Also speaking, Alo Raymond, the District Head of Manguna, called on the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the recent attacks.Raymond also alleged that the consistent attacks on the communities were geared towards land grabbing.The district head, who called for deployment of more security personnel to the communities, vowed that the inhabitants would not abandon their land for others to take over.He also called on government at all levels to support the more than 1,000 residents displaced as a result of the attacks.The meeting had in attendance government officials, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, and representatives of youths and women groups.

By David Torough, Abuja

The internal crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) took a dramatic turn yesterday as two rival factions within the party summoned separate meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC), signaling a deepening rift over the party’s leadership and direction.The move follows Friday’s judgement by the Supreme Court, which many observers believe has emboldened opposing camps to assert control over the party’s structures ahead of upcoming political realignments.

The embattled national chairman of the party, Julius Abure, convened a NEC meeting which was expected to be held at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja yesterday. The meeting was announced in a statement by the party’s national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh.“Press invitation: The National Executive Committee meeting of the Labour Party held on Monday, April 7, 2025, at the National Party Secretariat,” the invitation read.In a parallel move, Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate and the party’s only sitting governor, Alex Otti of Abia State, called for a separate NEC meeting and a stakeholders’ summit scheduled to hold on Wednesday, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.Meanwhile, the LP NEC also announced the sack of Hon. Afam Ogene from his position as leader of the party’s caucus in the House of Representatives. In his place, NEC appointed Ben Eternabene as the new leader.These decisions were contained in a Communique read by the Party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk, at the end of a NEC meeting held at the party’s National Secretariat, In Abuja, on Monday.Farouk said, “NEC in session in the exercise of its duties, hereby caution the former presidential candidate of our great party not to participate in any action capable of undermining the peace unity, and integrity of the party as the NEC will not hesitate to issue a stiffer penalty if found culpable.”The party’s NEC also expressed satisfaction with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court affirming the Supremacy of the party in determining its leadership.It further stressed that at no point within the Supreme Court judgement did it sack Julius Abure as National Chairman.Farouk further said, “Accordingly, NEC in session reaffirmed the Nnewi National Convention held on the 27th of March 2024 that produced the current National Working Committee (NWC) members under the chairmanship of Barrister Julius Abure.“NEC in session condemns in strong terms the activities of the Caretaker Committee illegally established by Alex Otti and Peter Obi in a so-called Stakeholders meeting held on the 4th of September 2024 in Umuahia.“The Supreme Court admonished party leaders and members of the party to always abide by the constitution of the party.“NEC noted that Article 14 (4) (B) gives the power to call meetings only to the National Secretary with the approval of the National Chairman.Accordingly, NEC warned all members to abide by the constitution of the party.”No vacancy in LP leadership, Abure InsistsIn his first public appearance after Friday’s judgment of the Supreme Court, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure declared on Monday that there is no vacuum in the party.He gave the warning while addressing a public conference before the meeting of the National Executive Committee at the party secretariat.According to him, the apex court was clear about its verdict on party supremacy, stressing that party matters are internal affairs of political platforms.The LP chair also threw shade at the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi and Governor Alex Otti, saying they betrayed the party.He said, “Tell them that there is no vacancy in our party. In the Labour Party, we don’t betray our candidates even though some betray us after giving them tickets.“We also want to urge those who have been deceived by last week’s misleading interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment to disregard the speculation. I remain the National Chairman of the Labour Party.“Again, the Labour Party Constitution does not recognise the setting up of a caretaker committee for party affairs.”