Nurses: Over 11,000 Have Left For Developed Countries
According to the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), over 11, 000 nursing practitioners have migrated from Nigeria to developed countries between 2019 and 2022.
Michael Nnachi, the president of the association, disclosed this information during a briefing with news broadcasters as part of the activities to commemorate this year’s International Nurses Week.
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He explained that the brain drain was as a consequence of the “terrible working conditions and tremendous suffering” that they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also stated that over 5,000 both nursing practitioners and midwives worldwide had lost their lives during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
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Mr. Nnachi said that the country was also witnessing shortage of nurses due to the mass migration. He explained that there was the need to invest in the nursing workforce as well as the consideration of special salary packages for nursing practitioners in order to address brain drain.
Mr. Nnachi called upon the Federal Ministry of Health to regulate the migration of both nurses and midwives to reduce the negative effects of brain drain within the country’s health sector.
