WHO: Nigeria requires .3m more doctors – Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday said the country requires 300,000 more doctors to address the medical needs of Nigerians.

Saraki said this while declaring open a public hearing on a bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, sponsored by Senator David Mark (PDP, Benue).

Represented by the Senate chief whip, Senator Adeyeye Olusola, Saraki said in July, a newspaper (Daily Trust) survey indicated that, of nearly 160,000 applicants, only 3000 gain admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions to study Medicine and related courses.

“The question therefore arises: how can Nigeria hope to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards of one doctor to 600 patients? We are at the present time lagging behind by all indices, with one doctor to about 5000 Nigerians. 180 million of us are served by 35,000 doctors.

“In reality, 300,000 more medical practitioners are needed, to properly cater to the health and well-being of our citizens; and help curb the huge revenue of about 3billion naira being lost annually to other countries by way of medical tourism,” he said.

He said the university when established would scale up the specialized training of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals in the health sector.