An investigation has revealed that a total of 1,197 doctors trained in Nigeria have migrated to the United Kingdom since May 29, 2023.

As of the current data, Nigeria is on track to surpass Pakistan and become the second-highest contributor of foreign-trained doctors to the UK, with India holding the top position, according to the register of the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK.

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The GMC, responsible for maintaining the official register of medical practitioners in the UK, disclosed that between May 29, 2023, and December 1, 2023, licenses were granted to 1,197 Nigerian-trained doctors.

The cumulative count of Nigerian doctors licensed in the UK now stands at 12,198, excluding those trained in other countries.

The breakdown of specialties reveals that there are currently 73 Nigerian-trained doctors in anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine, 61 in emergency medicine, 241 in general medicine, 207 in obstetrics and gynecology, 17 in occupational medicine, 16 in ophthalmology, 164 in pediatrics, and 50 in pathology.

There are 35 in public health, 357 in psychiatry, 29 in radiology, and 135 in surgery.

The escalating migration of medical professionals, particularly doctors, has raised concerns.

The Nigerian Medical Association has expressed worry about the significant brain drain in the medical field, suggesting that Nigeria might face the prospect of importing doctors in the future.

The trend of doctor migration has witnessed a steady increase over the years, with 233 Nigerian doctors moving to the UK in 2015, rising to 279 in 2016, and reaching 1,347 in 2019.

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The figures for subsequent years, including 2023, continue to underscore the challenges faced by the Nigerian healthcare sector.

Professor Emem Bassey, Chairman of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals, highlighted the crisis in the health sector, noting that specialists in various medical fields, including doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, and radiographers, are leaving the country in significant numbers.

The allure of better wages and opportunities in other African countries has also contributed to the ongoing brain drain in the Nigerian healthcare system.