Japa: Tinubu Approves Policy To Reverse Health Worker Migration, Retain Experts

President Bola Tinubu has approved a comprehensive National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s health human resources.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on his X handle on Monday.

Pate said the policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals but a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration.

Pate said, “This afternoon, HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR @officialABAT, in-Council, approved a landmark policy set to transform healthcare human resource management in Nigeria.

“The National Policy on Health Workforce Migration addresses the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s health human resources. As the AU Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, Mr President’s commitment to a resilient and robust healthcare system is powerfully reflected in this forward-looking policy.

“This policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals; it’s a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration. It envisions a thriving workforce that is well-supported, adequately rewarded, and optimally utilised to meet the healthcare needs of all Nigerians.”

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Many Nigerian healthcare workers leave the country for greener pastures, leaving their colleagues to contend with additional workload and extended call hours.

The push factors, according to them, are inadequate equipment, worsening insecurity, poor working conditions, and poor salary structure

The minister noted that central to this vision is the Nigeria Human Health Resource Programme, which sets a framework for regular reviews of working conditions, ensuring that health workers, especially in rural and underserved areas, receive the recognition and rewards they deserve.