To address the shortage of healthcare workers in the country and fill the gap created by migrating professionals to other countries, the Nigerian government says it has recruited 2,497 doctors, midwives, nurses, and community health extension workers in the last six months.
Muhammadu Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, disclosed this at a news conference organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, on Wednesday, in Abuja.
The minister acknowledged that Nigeria was grappling with a shortage of medical personnel due to the exodus of healthcare workers.
Pate informed that the government had raised the admission quota of schools training doctors, nurses and midwives to increase the production of healthcare professionals in the country.
Speaking extensively on health sector issues, Pate said the government was working to improve access to basic healthcare, especially among the vulnerable population. He said the government was also working to revitalise up to 17,000 primary healthcare centres by 2027.
He added that the government would be releasing N50 billion first tranche of the Basic Healthcare Fund; a significant increase from N25 billion allocated in 2022.
Speaking further, the minister said that 750,000 more Nigerians have been enrolled in health insurance since President Bola Tinubu came in on May 29, 2023.
“We remain committed to providing access to quality health for all Nigerians through the Vulnerable Group Fund and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF)”, he said.
