Shortage Of Skilled Manpower Putting Strain On Nigeria’s Healthcare System-NBS
The Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, on Wednesday launched the National Health Facility Survey (NHFS) Report 2023 in Abuja.
The report incorporates several enhancements, particularly to the tools used in data collection from selected health facilities across the country.
The survey also signifies collective efforts to strengthen and transform Nigeria’s healthcare system using data and statistics to improve healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the launch, Adeniran said the NHFS 2023 was built on the groundwork laid by the previous surveys conducted in 2016 and 2019, adding that the enhanced tools provide a robust framework for systematically assessing the service availability of these health facilities and evaluating their level of preparedness to deliver essential services effectively.
According to the Statistician General, Nigeria, like any other developing country, Nigeria faces challenges in its healthcare delivery system, with issues such as “insufficient funding for healthcare facilities, outdated infrastructure, and a shortage of skilled personnel.”
These challenges, Adeniran said, have pushed Nigerians into a continuous struggle to access quality healthcare within their immediate communities, particularly in rural areas, further necessitating the establishment of the 2023 NHFS report.
“Despite various reforms and investments by government and development partners, aimed at improving the quality of healthcare delivery and outcomes, substantial challenges still exist such as infant mortality rates (63 per 1,000 live births) according to the latest National Health and Demographic Survey (NDHS) and a severe shortage of essential medicines—35 per cent across all medical facilities nationwide.
“The migration of healthcare professionals is another critical issue that has impeded the functioning of the healthcare delivery system. Many Nigerian doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers seek opportunities abroad for better salaries, improved working conditions, and career advancement. Common destinations include the United States, the United Kingdom, and other developed nations.
“This trend has exacerbated the shortage of skilled healthcare workers in Nigeria, which has put a further strain on our ability to meet the growing demand for healthcare services.
“These persistent issues undermine our ability to provide equitable healthcare to all Nigerians, particularly in underserved and remote areas.
“This year’s report also incorporates Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs), a set of tools developed in collaboration with the World Bank and the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC).
“The SDIs focus on assessing primary healthcare service delivery, ensuring that the monitoring process promotes greater accountability, enhances governance, and facilitates more targeted interventions for improved healthcare outcomes,” Adeniran said.
He stated that the data from the survey is comprehensive and insightful, serving as a vital resource for policymakers, health administrators, and other stakeholders. It offers evidence-based recommendations for informed decision-making.
He added that by utilizing information from the survey, Nigeria can implement targeted interventions to address the most urgent issues in healthcare delivery, particularly at the primary healthcare level, where the need for improvement is most pressing.
“Recent experiences have highlighted that the path to effective healthcare reform requires active engagement and collaboration among all stakeholders—healthcare professionals, policymakers, and partners.
“Building strong, sustained partnerships is critical for identifying system inefficiencies, addressing gaps in service delivery, and ensuring that reforms are both practical and sustainable.
“By fostering a more inclusive dialogue that is underpinned by robust statistics among those directly involved in healthcare provision and those influencing policy and funding decisions, we can develop more effective solutions to the complex challenges facing our healthcare system in Nigeria,” he said.
Shortage Of Skilled Manpower Putting Strain On Nigeria’s Healthcare System-NBS is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
