The Chief Medical Director of UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Dr Babatunde Afolabi, has called on governments at all levels to take swift, decisive, and sustainable action to address the growing challenge of the japa syndrome ravaging Nigeria’s health sector.
Afolabi made the appeal while delivering the keynote address as Chairman at the 2025 Osun Nigerian Union of Journalists Press Week public lecture, held in Osogbo.
The event was themed: “The Impact of Japa Syndrome on Health Care Delivery: The Role of Government in Stemming This Tide.”
He described the mass migration of medical professionals as a national emergency, revealing that over 16,000 doctors have left Nigeria in the past five years alone, joined by thousands of nurses, pharmacists, and other health workers.
This brain drain, he said, has pushed the doctor-to-patient ratio to a dire 1:4,000 — far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended 1:1,000 — with rural areas suffering even worse ratios of up to 1:9,000.
Afolabi identified poor working conditions, low pay, limited professional growth, and insecurity as major push factors, while better welfare, stable systems, and modern facilities abroad act as strong pull factors.
The CMD identified increased workload, reduced quality of care, and declining public confidence in Nigeria’s health institutions as some of the results of the worsening brain-drain.
He urged journalists to utilise media platforms to share the human stories behind migration, hold policymakers accountable, and highlight local successes in healthcare development. He acknowledged the consistent support of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for his assistance to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.
In his closing remarks, he called on government, media, and civil society to collaborate in rebuilding hope and restoring dignity to the medical profession.
Also present at the occasion were the Executive Secretary of the Osun State Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Rasaq Akintunde, who served as guest lecturer, and Dr. Calitus Akinleye, a consultant Epidemiologist.
In other news, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, has hailed the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital’s (UPTH) establishment of a N10 billion endowment fund as a pivotal move to enhance healthcare delivery and manpower development in Nigeria.
The Minister made this statement at the 45th anniversary celebration of UPTH, themed “Repositioning For Excellent Healthcare Delivery, Medical Innovations And Manpower Development.”
Professor Pate, represented by Dr. Abisola Adegoke, Director of Teaching Hospital, said the theme of the anniversary resonates with the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare in Nigeria.
He commended UPTH for its commitment to improving healthcare delivery, noting that the Ministry stands fully behind the bold initiative.
He urged other institutions to adopt UPTH’s approach, which integrates cutting-edge research and modern medical technologies to elevate patient care.
He said, “We at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare therefore stand fully behind this bold initiative, we view the Endowment fund not only as a financial mechanism but also as a symbol of the institution’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and leadership in healthcare. It is a model that other tertiary hospitals across Nigeria must emulate.”
