The Kwara State Government has expressed deep concern over the ongoing mass emigration of medical doctors, popularly referred to as the “Japa syndrome,” which is severely impacting the state’s public healthcare system.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing in Ilorin on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara Hospital Management Board (HMB), Abdulraheem Malik, disclosed that only 89 doctors are currently working in the state’s public hospitals. This is significantly below the required 200 physicians needed to effectively serve the state’s population.
Malik warned that the continued exodus of healthcare workers is putting enormous strain on the already struggling health sector. “The mass departure of health professionals is affecting our ability to provide proper medical care,” he stated.
In a bid to reverse the trend, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq recently approved a salary adjustment to bring doctors’ pay in line with federal wage structures. Malik noted that this move has already encouraged three previously resigned doctors to return, but the current workforce still falls short.
Despite the state’s effort, the nationwide doctor-to-patient ratio remains dangerously high at 1 to over 5,000—far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 1 to 600.
Malik stressed that the worsening brain drain is leaving many hospitals across Nigeria understaffed and overwhelmed, further endangering public health outcomes.
The Kwara State Government’s call highlights the urgent need for national action to address the health workforce crisis and retain medical professionals in Nigeria.
