59 doctors resign in Nasarawa, threatening healthcare delivery

Nasarawa state is grappling with a healthcare crisis after dozens of doctors abandoned their jobs and moved abroad.

In the last three months, 59 doctors resigned from the state’s main specialist hospital, the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in the capital, Lafia, Daily Trust reported Monday.

The exodus, driven by unaddressed concerns over hazard allowances and poor working conditions, threatens to cripple the state’s healthcare system.

The situation is not new. Daily Trust reports that the past two years have seen a pattern of instability in Nasarawa’s government-owned hospitals, marked by strikes, protests, and doctor resignations. The root cause? The consistent neglect of hazard allowances and a general lack of investment in improving the working conditions for medical personnel.

A Wave of Resignations

This latest wave of departures highlights the deteriorating situation. Daily Trust quotes an anonymous source within DASH’s administration as saying that over 25 resignation letters were received from doctors within just two days. The president of the National Association of Resident Doctors in Nasarawa State, Yakubu Adeleke, said these grievances have been brewing for a while.

“Doctors in Nasarawa State have been stagnated,” Dr. Adeleke lamentsed “No promotion. Some doctors have been working for eight years without promotion.” This lack of career progression, coupled with poor remuneration and working conditions, has pushed many doctors to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Twenty of the departing doctors left for Saudi Arabia, according to the paper.

Mr Adeleke warned that the mass resignation will put “more pressure on the state’s health system.” With fewer doctors to manage the patient load, the quality of care is likely to suffer, and wait times are expected to increase.

Government Response: Too Little, Too Late?

The Nasarawa State government acknowledged the problem. The Commissioner for Health, Gaza Gwamna, claimed the government had begun implementing a welfare package for doctors. However, this seems like a belated reaction considering the long-standing nature of the concerns.

Mr Gwamna urged the remaining doctors to “remain calm” and said the government had commenced recruitment drive to fill vacancies.

The situation in Nasarawa reflects a broader national challenge. The exodus of Nigerian healthcare workers, particularly doctors, to more lucrative opportunities abroad is a well-documented issue.

This trend weakens the nation’s healthcare infrastructure at a time when it’s most needed.