The Kwara State Government has raised the alarm over the worsening shortage of medical doctors in its health facilities due to the ongoing brain drain popularly known as ‘Japa’ syndrome.
Speaking during the 2025 first quarter inter-ministerial press briefing in Ilorin, the Executive Secretary of the State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Abdulraheem Abdulmalik, said despite Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s approval for recruitment, the state is struggling to find qualified doctors willing to work.
“We’ve been given the go-ahead to recruit, but the challenge is that there are simply no doctors to hire. Doctors are in such high demand now that one can resign in the morning and get another job the same day,”; Dr. Abdulmalik explained.
Currently, the state has only 99 doctors on its payroll—far below the 180 to 200 required to adequately serve its population. He noted that a recent salary increase by the governor brought back three doctors who had previously left.
To tackle the crisis, the board is developing a digital solution that allows patients to check doctor availability across the state’s 45 health facilities in real time—aimed at reducing wait times and preventing medical emergencies due to delays.
The shortage is more severe in rural areas, prompting the state to explore improved remuneration and incentives that could rival offers abroad. A longer-term strategy involves sponsoring medical students in exchange for a mandatory service period with the state.
“This retention plan will start yielding results in about four years, as we’re targeting students at the clinical level (400 Level) in medical schools,”; he said.
Addressing concerns about nurses also leaving the country, Dr. Abdulmalik noted that while some may “japa,”; the exodus is less pressing due to social and familial factors, especially among female nurses.
