Posted on: Sat 18-10-2025

Doctors Are Hot Cakes Now!” – Kwara State Cries Out Over Medical Brain Drain Crisis

The Kwara State Government has raised alarm over the growing shortage of medical doctors in its health facilities, describing the situation as deeply troubling.

Speaking at a ministerial press briefing organized by the Ministry of Communication, the Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Dr. Abdulraheem AbdulMalik, revealed that despite receiving approval from Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to recruit new doctors, the board has been unable to find qualified candidates.

“We have the approval of His Excellency to recruit doctors, but we can’t just find the doctors to recruit. Doctors are hot cakes now. If a doctor resigns in the morning, he will get another job in the afternoon,” AbdulMalik stated.

Currently, the state has only 99 medical doctors, far below the required 180 to 200. Of these, just 96 are on the government’s payroll. However, following a recent salary increase by the governor, three doctors who had previously left returned to service, bringing the total to 99.

The shortage is especially severe in rural areas, prompting the board to explore better remuneration packages and incentives to attract and retain medical personnel.

In a bid to improve patient experience and reduce delays, the board is also developing a software application that will allow patients visiting any of the state’s 45 health facilities to check the number of available doctors in real time. This initiative aims to prevent situations where patients collapse while waiting to see a doctor.

To address the long-term gap in medical staffing, the state government is rolling out a retention plan that will begin in four years. Under this plan, students sponsored by the government during their medical training will be required to work for the state for a corresponding period after graduation.

“We’ve presented a prerequisite to His Excellency on harvesting doctors from medical schools. The state sponsors you for a year or two, and you pay back by working for the state. That way, we close the gap before they ‘japa’,” AbdulMalik explained.

This strategic move is expected to begin at the clinical level (400 level) and aims to curb the effects of the ongoing brain drain in the healthcare sector.

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