Health Workers Raise Alarm Over Brain Drain and Failing Health System

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria has warned that the country’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, citing severe underfunding, economic hardship, and the mass migration of health professionals to developed nations.

In a communiqué issued after its 51st National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the union said Nigeria is losing doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and laboratory scientists at an alarming rate due to poor wages and unfavourable working conditions. This, it noted, has resulted in a critical shortage of manpower, pushing more citizens into medical tourism and limiting access to quality care.

The union urged the Federal Government to increase funding, improve welfare packages, and address inflation and rising living costs affecting workers. It also reminded government of the Abuja Declaration, which requires countries to allocate at least 15% of their budgets to health — a benchmark Nigeria has repeatedly failed to meet.

The communiqué further condemned widespread insecurity, arguing that violence, displacement, poverty, and poor healthcare are driving a worsening humanitarian crisis. It also called for urgent intervention on climate-related threats like food shortages, flooding, and disease outbreaks.

Despite commending recent government efforts on climate change policy, the union insisted that stronger, immediate action is necessary to save the sector and protect citizens.

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