The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has raised alarm over the increasing exodus of medical professionals, revealing that only 6,000 consultants remain in the country.
MDCAN President, Professor Muhammad Mohammad, disclosed this shocking figure on Thursday during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Ilorin.
He lamented that 1,300 consultants had left Nigeria in the past five years, with 1,700 more set to retire within the next five years.
“With a retirement age of 60 years, and only one or two consultants produced annually, the numbers will continue to decline,” Mohammad warned. “The loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and retirement far outpaces replacement.”
He called for urgent policy interventions, including raising the retirement age to 70 years, to retain experienced professionals and curb the devastating impact on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The alarming statistics highlight a growing crisis in Nigeria’s medical sector, as healthcare professionals seek better opportunities abroad, leaving a critical shortage of specialists in local hospitals.