… Calls for $1bn investment to avert health workforce crisis

… Links health funding to economic growth

By Chioma Obinna

Former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Professor Akin Osibogun, has warned that Nigeria may have to wait a century to meet its medical manpower needs if current training and funding levels persist.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Physicians’ Week organised by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Branch, Osibogun said Nigeria requires about 360,000 doctors to meet its population health needs but currently has only 55,000 registered practitioners, many of whom work abroad.

He described the situation as a national emergency and urged governments at all levels to immediately invest at least one billion dollars in the health sector for training, infrastructure, and workforce retention.

“At the current rate of producing about 3,000 doctors annually, it will take Nigeria 100 years to bridge the gap. We must train more and retain more,” he declared.

Osibogun, who delivered the keynote lecture titled: “Healthcare as a Value Chain: Building Efficiency from Policy to Patient”, said the health sector holds immense potential for economic growth if properly funded. According to him, an efficient health system could contribute up to 15 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), create jobs, and enhance productivity across all sectors.

“Health is wealth. Investments in healthcare don’t just save lives – they grow the economy,” he said, stressing that the current five per cent budgetary allocation to health is grossly inadequate.

He lamented that while Africa accounts for 10 per cent of the world’s population, the continent contributes less than one per cent of global health spending and only two per cent of the global health workforce – a situation worsened by the continued migration of skilled professionals abroad.

“We must incentivise our teachers to train more doctors and ensure they stay. Without them, we cannot produce or retain the workforce we desperately need,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, LOC, Dr. Akinsurile Bisoye, said the Physicians’ Week has evolved into a vital platform for reflection and advocacy within the profession.

He noted that this year’s theme – Healthcare as a Value Chain: Building Efficiency from Policy to Patient and sub-theme: “AI, Ethics, and the Physician’s Role in Modern Healthcare” highlight the urgent need to strengthen coordination, accountability, and innovation across the health system.

“While sound policies exist, their impact remains limited without effective implementation. A policy not executed is, at best, an unfulfilled promise,” Bisoye said.

He added that the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) calls for ethical engagement and adaptation by physicians, warning that technology must never replace human judgment in patient care.

On his part, Chairman of NMA Lagos, Dr. Saheed Babajide, reiterated the association’s call for urgent reforms, improved welfare, and stronger political will to fix Nigeria’s ailing health system.

“We continue to experience inefficiencies from policy formulation to patient care. To change this, we need sustainable financing, local drug manufacturing, and policies that reward performance and retention,” he said.

Babajide urged both federal and state governments to convene urgent health summits to realign policies with present realities and ensure better coordination among all tiers of government.

The week-long celebration featured a scientific conference, medical outreach, thanksgiving and Jumat services, and the commissioning of rehabilitated facilities across Lagos.

Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to push for better funding, retention of medical professionals, and full implementation of reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare value chain.