Nigeria Faces Critical Shortage of Public Health Physicians Amid Broader Healthcare Crisis
Nigeria is grappling with an acute shortage of public health physicians, a challenge exacerbated by the broader deficit of medical doctors across the country, according to Dr. Terfa Kene, President of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN). Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, Dr. Kene highlighted the cascading effects of this shortage on the nation’s healthcare system.
Public health physicians play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, operating at the community level to deliver essential services, strengthen preventive care, and improve health outcomes. However, Dr. Kene emphasized that the country lacks sufficient numbers of these specialists, primarily because the foundational pool of medical doctors is already inadequate.
“You must first be a medical doctor to become a public health physician,” he explained. “The problem begins with the fact that we don’t have enough doctors. This directly impacts our ability to train and produce the specialists needed for effective public health practice.”
The shortage has led to a reliance on task shifting, where community health workers are increasingly deployed to fill gaps left by the lack of medical officers. While this approach provides temporary relief, it is not a sustainable solution for a nation where healthcare demands continue to grow.
Compounding the issue is the ongoing migration of medical professionals seeking better opportunities abroad. Dr. Kene noted that Nigeria is not producing enough public health physicians to meet its needs, and the existing workforce is further diminished by the exodus of skilled practitioners.
“The world has become a global village,” he said. “People are attracted to places where they perceive better opportunities and working conditions. This consistent leakage of talent is a significant challenge.”
Dr. Kene also pointed to the difficulty of accurately quantifying the number of public health physicians due to registration gaps and varying qualifications within the profession. While the APHPN boasts over 3,000 registered members, this figure does not reflect the total number of practitioners actively working across Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Despite these challenges, public health physicians remain indispensable to Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure. They play critical roles in policy development, epidemic response, and the implementation of healthcare initiatives at all levels of governance.
Dr. Kene underscored the association’s commitment to innovation and collaboration to enhance service delivery. He revealed plans to build a national secretariat and estate aimed at improving members’ welfare and fostering professional coordination. The project will also support telemedicine services, providing access to healthcare in underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
“We can deploy telemedicine devices in these locations, allowing our doctors to consult with patients at minimal operational costs,” he said.
Dr. Kene called on Nigerians and organizations to support the initiative through funding or material contributions, emphasizing its potential to transform healthcare delivery and access nationwide.
As Nigeria continues to navigate its healthcare challenges, the shortage of public health physicians serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic reforms, increased investment, and strategies to retain skilled professionals within the country.
— Reported by Nexio News
