NMA raises the alarm over doctors’ shortage in Kaduna

The Nigerian Medical Association, Kaduna State Branch, on Monday, raised the alarm over the shortage of medical doctors in the state, disclosing that only about 1,600 doctors are currently licensed to practise there, down from approximately 2,000 previously.

The state chairman of the association, Dr Aisha Mustapha, said the declining number of doctors, coupled with insecurity, poor remuneration, professional burnout and inadequate healthcare infrastructure, was threatening effective healthcare delivery.

Mustapha spoke at a press conference on Monday, ahead of the 2026 National Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria.”

She said Kaduna State had an estimated doctor-to-population ratio of one physician to 6,000 residents, describing the situation as a major challenge requiring urgent intervention.

“The number of doctors currently licensed to practise in Kaduna State is approximately 1,600. We used to have about 2,000, but because of all these challenges, the numbers keep declining,” she said.

Mustapha warned that the declining workforce was increasing pressure on available doctors, making it necessary for the government to strengthen recruitment and retention measures.

She identified poor remuneration, inadequate staffing, limited career progression, insecurity and difficult working conditions as some of the factors discouraging doctors from remaining in the state’s healthcare system.

According to her, improving doctors’ welfare and providing a conducive working environment were essential to reversing the trend.

She also expressed concern over disparities in remuneration between doctors employed by the Kaduna State Government and their counterparts in teaching hospitals, saying the situation had encouraged internal migration within the healthcare system.

The NMA chairman acknowledged efforts by the state government to improve doctors’ remuneration but said more needed to be done to ensure that doctors in general hospitals were not disadvantaged.

She explained that when doctors moved from general hospitals to institutions offering better financial benefits, the facilities they left behind were further weakened by staffing shortages.

Mustapha called for salary harmonisation and improved working conditions to encourage doctors to remain in public hospitals and provide essential medical services to residents.

She also identified insecurity as a major obstacle to retaining doctors, particularly in communities where healthcare workers faced threats to their safety.

“Some of us, even if we get a job in certain hospitals where we would love to work, will not be able to go there because of the insecurity situation in that area,” she said.

She warned that insecurity could prevent vulnerable communities from accessing essential healthcare, especially in rural areas where medical personnel were already limited.

According to her, residents in affected communities still needed medical attention despite the security challenges confronting their areas.

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She urged the government and security agencies to work together to protect healthcare workers and ensure that hospitals remained accessible to patients.

Mustapha further expressed concern over doctors’ welfare, warning that excessive workloads, prolonged duty hours and inadequate rest were exposing medical practitioners to physical and emotional exhaustion.

“A physician who is physically exhausted, emotionally depleted, chronically stressed and personally neglected cannot provide the quality healthcare patients deserve,” she said.

She called for improved staffing, reasonable duty schedules, adequate rest periods and access to healthcare and psychological support for medical professionals.

Mustapha said doctors needed a supportive working environment to maintain their health, remain productive and provide quality services to patients.

She added that limited opportunities for career progression and professional development could also discourage doctors from remaining in some general hospitals.

The chairman said clear promotion pathways, continuous training and access to modern medical equipment would help improve morale and encourage doctors to build their careers within the state.

On the migration of Nigerian doctors abroad, Mustapha expressed concern that the country was losing trained medical professionals because of inadequate incentives and unfavourable working conditions.

She called for deliberate retention policies, better remuneration and stronger collaboration with Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to strengthen the healthcare system.

Mustapha said improving doctors’ conditions of service was necessary to reduce pressure on the remaining workforce and ensure that public investment in medical education translated into better healthcare outcomes.

She also advocated increased investment in digital health, medical innovation and education to prepare Nigerian doctors for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, telemedicine and electronic medical records.

According to her, technology could improve healthcare delivery and expand access to medical services, particularly in underserved communities, but should not undermine the relationship between doctors and patients.

She stressed that technological advancement must go hand in hand with professional competence, compassion and adequate staffing.

Mustapha said the association would continue to engage the state government, hospital administrators, security agencies and other stakeholders on measures to improve doctors’ safety, welfare and professional development.

She maintained that addressing the challenges confronting medical practitioners was essential to building a stronger healthcare system capable of providing safe, quality medical services to residents across Kaduna State.