Medical Academy Decries Collapse of Health System, Warns Nigeria Loses $1bn Yearly to Medical Tourism

The Nigerian Academy of Medicine has raised alarm over the near-collapse of the country’s health system, blaming chronic underfunding, decaying infrastructure, and the mass exodus of medical professionals for the crisis.

Speaking at the Academy’s 2025 Annual Lecture, Induction Ceremony, and Scientific Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, President of the Academy, Emeritus Professor Samuel Ohaegbulam, described the state of Nigerian hospitals as “alarming,” noting that citizens spend over $1 billion annually on medical treatment abroad.

“The budgetary allocations are grossly inadequate. Even tertiary hospitals lack basic diagnostic equipment like CT scans and MRI machines. Our trainers are demoralised—not only by poor facilities but also by poor remuneration, worsened by the naira’s devaluation,” Ohaegbulam said.

He lamented the steady migration of Nigerian doctors and nurses in search of better pay and working conditions overseas, saying: “Can we blame them when they are offered $15,000 a month abroad while struggling to survive at home?”

Ohaegbulam added that although universal health insurance could transform access to care, weak implementation has left only a fraction of Nigerians covered. He also warned that medical education is overstretched, with universities exceeding quotas, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate equipment, and lecturers under strain.

“The unchecked proliferation of medical schools is worsening the problem. What we need is not more institutions but stronger, better-managed ones,” he cautioned, while also urging medical professionals in leadership positions to push for reform.

At the event, 22 new fellows were inducted into the Academy. Former Health Minister and Academy trustee, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said efforts were underway to address challenges, noting that the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Pate, had secured presidential approval for direct recruitment waivers to tackle workforce shortages.

Delivering the keynote lecture on “Re-emergence of Lassa Fever: Advancing Detection and Response Capacities in Nigeria,” Prof. John Idoko warned that many cases go undetected because patients are often treated for malaria without proper testing. He called for stronger surveillance, rapid diagnostic tools, and better funding for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Idoko also urged communities to abandon risky practices such as eating bushmeat, stressing that Nigeria must treat Lassa fever as a major public health priority.