As Nigeria grapples with an escalating healthcare workforce crisis, public hospitals have resorted to hiring 564 contract-based locum doctors to plug critical staffing gaps nationwide, Hobnob News has learned.
The data, sourced from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), underscores the country’s growing dependence on temporary medical staff—a short-term fix that experts warn is worsening already fragile health service delivery.
The rise in locum appointments is largely attributed to mass emigration of healthcare professionals, popularly known as Japa, as doctors leave the country in droves for better working conditions abroad. However, locum roles often offer no job security, pensions, or benefits, leaving many doctors in precarious positions.
In a statement, NARD described the trend as “worrisome,” especially in the context of chronic manpower shortages across Nigeria’s public health institutions. The association had earlier in 2024 called for a complete end to the casualisation of doctors, stating that it compromises both healthcare quality and the well-being of medical professionals.
“Some of these locum appointments have remained for years with no conversion to full employment. That’s unacceptable,” said NARD President, Dr. Tope Osundara.
Despite several government reforms aimed at stabilising the health sector—such as the One-for-One Replacement Policy and the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration—implementation has remained patchy, forcing hospitals to lean heavily on contract-based hires.
According to Prof. Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Nigeria currently has just 55,000 licensed doctors—a figure that falls far short of the World Health Organisation’s recommendation. Meanwhile, over 16,000 Nigerian-trained doctors have emigrated in the past 5–7 years.
The doctor-to-population ratio now hovers around 3.9 per 10,000 people, far below the global benchmark, Pate revealed in a recent policy briefing.
Dr. Osundara warned that contract employment discourages commitment to public service and accelerates the rate at which doctors leave the country.
“When a doctor on locum appointment earns less and enjoys no benefits, their motivation drops. You’re making them more likely to leave the country,” he explained.
He added that some hospital administrators misuse the system by repeatedly renewing three-to-six-month contracts without any progression plan.
“Locum doctors are subject to the whims of whoever is in charge. Their contracts can be terminated at any time without recourse or accountability,” Osundara said.
NARD is now calling for a total overhaul of the employment system, urging the federal government to abolish locum positions and create pathways for permanent placements, adequate remuneration, and professional security.
“This model is broken. It fosters inequality, job insecurity, and discouragement. If we’re serious about retaining medical talent, we must move away from casualisation and towards long-term stability,” Osundara concluded.
As Nigeria confronts an ever-widening healthcare gap, stakeholders are urging decisive action to retain its medical professionals, improve working conditions, and safeguard the future of healthcare delivery across the nation.
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