Health
Number of Nigerian nurses in UK jumps 68% in one year
The number of Nigeria-trained nurses rose year-on-year by 68.4 percent to 7,256 in March 2022
The migration of Nigerian-trained nurses to the United Kingdom (UK) has intensified, hitting an all-time high in March this year.
According to data from the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) of the UK, the number of Nigeria-trained nurses rose year-on-year by 68.4 percent to 7,256 in March 2022 from 4,310 in the same month of last year.
Apart from the number being the highest, it also ranks third by country of training outside the European Union/European Economic Area.
The data showed that 41,090 were trained in the Philippines, 37,815 in India, 3,655 in Zimbabwe and 2,894 in South Africa.
“People who trained in the Philippines and India continue to represent a significant proportion of our permanent register and contribute strongly to our annual growth,” the NMC said.
It said in 2021-2022, there was a significant increase in the number of people joining the permanent register for the first time who trained in India, the Philippines and Nigeria.
Nurses play an important role in the healthcare system since they are always with patients at every stage of the care process, tending to them, counselling them and improving healthcare processes.
The growing migration of nurses from Nigeria has led to a shortage of the health workers in the country.
A recent presentation by Vesta Healthcare, a clinician-led firm of International Healthcare Management Consultants, said there are an estimated 125,000 nurses in Nigeria. This is almost six times lower than the recommended number of 800,000 by the firm.
“Unavailability of nurses to cater for the population has put a strain on the quality of care that is administered at the different healthcare facilities in the country,” it said.
It also added that patients are usually left unsatisfied with the care provided to them because the nurses available have to cater for several other patients’ simultaneously.
Experts say nursing shortages lead to errors, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. According to the World Bank, Nigeria has the highest under-five mortality rate in the world with 117 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Okechukwu Ekemezie, a medical doctor, said the health sector would be in shambles because many quack nurses would enter the profession. “Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. They are the ones that take care of patients.”
Recently, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) said that over 11, 000 nurses migrated from Nigeria to developed countries between 2019 and 2022.
“The country is witnessing a shortage of nurses because of mass migration,” said Michael Nnachi, president of NANNM. “There was a need to invest in the nursing workforce and consider a special salary package for nurses to address brain drain.”
The rise in the number of Nigerian nurses migrating to the UK can be attributed to the cheap and easy entry migration requirements of the country, which is facing severe shortage of healthcare workers especially in its National Healthcare system (NHS) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read also: International Nurses Day: Nigeria can’t keep nurses it needs
In 2020, the new Conservative government pledged to increase nurse numbers by 50,000 over the next five years, and offered additional cost of living support of £5,000.
The country also announced a Health and Care Visa policy, which aims to make it cheaper, quicker and easier for healthcare professionals to migrate to the UK.
“The NHS is still trying to recover from the pandemic. And with the increase of health issues, a lot of NHS workers are being burnt out or resigning which is affecting the number of nurses to cover the amount of people to care for,” said Jennifer Oyelade, director of Transquisite Consulting, a UK and Nigeria-registered recruitment and training consultancy.
“So, they are open to nurses that will help them meet the demands of their citizens and not allow people to die on their watch,” she added.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.
Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.
Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.
The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.
Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.
“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.
He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.
Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.
In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”
The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.
Chairman of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae, and Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, are set to lead discussions at the second edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit.
The event is scheduled to hold on September 24 and 25 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.
This year’s summit has the theme: “Self-Care as a Driver of Optimal Health and Wellness.”
Ayebae will serve as chairman of the event, while Afolabi, who is also the co-founder of Wellness HMO, will deliver the keynote address.
Ayebae, founder of Fidson Healthcare, is regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. He is a fellow of the Institute of Directors Nigeria and the Institute of Corporate Affairs Management, and has held significant roles in the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
Afolabi has more than 20 years’ experience spanning healthcare, finance, technology and marketing. He is also the founder of the Eko Innovation Centre, a Lagos-based technology hub that supports start-ups and young entrepreneurs.
Convener of the summit, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, said the event would focus on practical steps to improve health outcomes through self-care.
She said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Ayebae and Dr. Afolabi as pivotal figures in our quest to enhance health literacy and empower individuals to prioritise self-care. This summit is not just about discussions; it is about actionable insights that can inspire and transform lives.”
The organisers said the two-day summit is open to the public and will feature panel sessions with health and wellness experts, attracting healthcare professionals, advocates and business leaders.
The Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Moor Plantation, Apata, Ibadan, has joined the campaign to eradicate malaria in Nigeria.
The initiative followed the unveiling of the Geneith Health Competition on the institution’s campus on Tuesday.
The competition, organised by CEOAfrica in partnership with Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited and powered by Coatal Forte Softgel, targets students of tertiary and secondary schools nationwide to spread knowledge on malaria prevention.
Convener of the project, Mr. Cletus Ilobanafo, said the programme was designed to raise awareness through a structured health contest at the state, regional and national levels.
He said Geneith Pharmaceuticals has committed N1 billion to the project, with N400 million earmarked for scholarships and N600 million for gift items to motivate participants. “By promoting education and prevention strategies, this competition underscores the dedication of all stakeholders in combating malaria and improving public health in Nigeria,” Ilobanafo added.
The Provost of the College, Dr. Chidi Okpeze, praised the organisers for selecting the institution as a launch platform for the campaign. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, for their commitment to repositioning the livestock sector to boost national growth.
“Our students are ready to key into this initiative. They are articulate, active, and have represented us well in international competitions. We are confident they will excel in this campaign too,” he said.
The Provost urged the students to brace up for the task ahead and uphold the institution’s tradition of excellence.
Some students, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues, pledged to support the anti-malaria campaign by intensifying environmental sanitation on campus. They also commended the organisers and sponsors for giving them the opportunity to contribute to the fight against malaria.
They promised to sustain clean surroundings and spread the message beyond the school to ensure malaria is eradicated from the system.
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