By Babs Oyetoro
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned that brain drain in the health sector will continue due to persistent underfunding, inadequate planning, and unresolved systemic challenges that undermine healthcare delivery.
In a statement issued to mark Democracy Day 2026, the NMA said Nigeria’s health system has recorded little improvement from previous years, with doctors continuing to emigrate in large numbers under the “Japa syndrome.”
“The Federal Government is not showing clear willingness to resolve the Japa syndrome through better remuneration, improved welfare, and working conditions,” said Dr Saheed Babajide Kehinde, chairman of the NMA in Lagos State.
“Instead, attention is shifting to international partnerships while basic health system challenges remain unresolved.”
The association criticised the level of health financing, noting that budgetary allocations continue to fall short of the 15 per cent benchmark set in the Abuja Declaration.
“Health funding remains grossly inadequate, and implementation of approved budgets is often poor,” Kehinde said.
The NMA observed that infrastructure projects in federal health institutions are often executed without corresponding investments in manpower and equipment, resulting in underutilised facilities.
The association also expressed worry over limited training opportunities for medical graduates, stating that delays in housemanship and internship placements have regressed to the difficult conditions experienced in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
On disease preparedness, the NMA described Nigeria’s infectious disease response framework as weak and called for establishing dedicated infectious disease hospitals in every state, along with a central facility in Abuja.
The group further demanded the creation of specialist hospitals across the country’s six geopolitical zones to curb medical tourism and enhance access to specialised care.
“The Federal Government has underperformed in healthcare delivery due to lack of prioritisation and commitment to health sector development,” Kehinde added.
The NMA urged immediate reforms in funding, staffing, infrastructure, and governance to halt further decline in the nation’s health system.
