The Ondo chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says the state lost about 400 doctors to migration and other forms of workforce attrition in the last five years, leaving about 500 doctors in public health institutions across the state.
Roland Arohunmolase, NMA chairman in Ondo, disclosed this in
Akure on Monday during activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week, themed
“Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria”.
Speaking on behalf of Afekhide Omoti, NMA national
president, Arohunmolase said the shortage had increased the workload on
remaining doctors and raised concerns about the quality of healthcare available
to residents.
“As of today, we barely have 500 doctors across state and
federal government health establishments in Ondo state, excluding the private
sector. Based on the records available to me, we have about 500 doctors,”
Arohunmolase said.
He said the number of doctors in the state’s healthcare
system previously stood at about 900 to 1,000, but approximately 400 had since
left.
Arohunmolase appealed to the state government to introduce
measures to attract and retain medical professionals, including better
remuneration and improved working conditions.
He said such efforts would help reduce burnout among doctors
and other healthcare workers who have to cope with the demands of an
understaffed health system.
Arohunmolase also linked medical tourism among wealthy
Nigerians to inadequate infrastructure and shortages of essential equipment in
the country’s hospitals.
“I believe they go abroad because they themselves know the
inadequacies that exist within our system,” he said, arguing that the failure
to provide essential equipment and modern medical technology had undermined
public confidence in local healthcare services.
“The challenge is not necessarily the competence of our
doctors but the inadequacies within the healthcare system. These shortcomings
undermine public confidence and encourage people, particularly politicians, to
continue seeking medical treatment overseas.”
Arohunmolase also called for increased government investment
in healthcare.
He noted that increased funding was necessary to improve
hospital infrastructure, provide essential equipment, strengthen working
conditions and offer competitive remuneration to medical professionals.
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