Nigeria Faces Critical Shortage of Public Health Physicians – Experts Warn
Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria is grappling with a severe shortage of public health physicians, a crisis driven by a wider deficit of medical doctors and worsening workforce migration, health experts have warned.
President of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Dr. Terfa Kene, on Tuesday said the shortage is undermining the country’s ability to deliver effective community-based healthcare.
“We don’t have enough doctors,” he said. “And you must first be a doctor before becoming a public health physician.”
He explained that public health physicians play a critical role in disease prevention, policy implementation and epidemic response across all levels of governance.
However, gaps in staffing—especially at local government level—have forced reliance on task shifting, with community health workers filling roles typically handled by trained physicians.
Kene also pointed to “leakage” in the system, as professionals continue to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities.
“The world is a global village. People go where they perceive better options,” he said.
Although the association has over 3,000 registered members, he noted that the exact number of practising public health physicians in Nigeria remains unclear due to weak data systems.
The shortage raises concerns about Nigeria’s preparedness for future health emergencies, as experts warn that weak workforce capacity could undermine epidemic response and healthcare delivery.
Kene called for increased investment in training, better working conditions, and stronger data systems to support workforce planning.
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