Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Academy of Medical Sciences (ACADMEDS) has urged the Federal Government to take urgent action to tackle Nigeria’s worsening healthcare workforce shortage and high maternal mortality rate, warning that both challenges threaten the country’s health system.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued on Wednesday after the Academy’s maiden Biennial Presidential Colloquium held in Lagos under the theme, “Nigeria’s Health at a Crossroad: Confronting Workforce Shortages, Epidemic Risks and Maternal Mortality.”
The communiqué, signed by Academy President Emeritus Prof. Osato Giwa-Osagie and Secretary Prof. Mayowa Owolabi, identified health workforce shortages, maternal mortality, epidemic preparedness and emergency response as the country’s most pressing healthcare challenges.
According to the Academy, Africa carries about 24 per cent of the global disease burden but has access to only three per cent of the global health workforce.
It also noted that more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s practising medical professionals are concentrated in Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory, Rivers, Kano and Kaduna states, leaving many rural communities without adequate healthcare services.
The Academy attributed the shortage to poor remuneration, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, policy disconnects between the Ministries of Health and Education and continued migration of healthcare professionals abroad.
On maternal health, ACADMEDS said Nigeria accounts for about 28 per cent of global maternal deaths, largely due to preventable complications including postpartum haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and obstructed labour.
It identified poor family planning uptake, inadequate skilled birth attendance, weak referral systems and high out-of-pocket healthcare costs as key factors worsening maternal mortality.
To improve maternal and child health, ACADMEDS urged the government to expand Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care services, deploy more certified midwives to underserved communities and improve access to quality maternal healthcare.
About the Author
Abah Felicity 
Hope Ajayi 