Bridging the Implementation Gap of the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration: A Call for Legislative Intervention

Abstract

The approval of the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration (NPHWM) by the Federal Executive Council in 2024 marked a significant policy response to the increasing migration of Nigerian healthcare professionals and the resulting strain on the country's healthcare system. The policy was developed to address the persistent loss of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, and other healthcare professionals through a comprehensive framework focused on workforce retention, ethical recruitment, workforce planning, diaspora engagement, and international cooperation. Two years after its adoption, concerns have been raised by some Nigerians regarding the extent to which the policy has achieved its stated objectives. This analysis finds that, while the policy has established a comprehensive framework for addressing workforce migration and has made modest progress in areas such as workforce planning and stakeholder engagement, it has not yet achieved its primary goals of significantly reducing migration, improving workforce retention, or strengthening healthcare service delivery. The analysis concludes that the policy's overall achievement level remains moderate at best, largely due to implementation challenges, inadequate funding, economic pressures, and persistent structural weaknesses within Nigeria's healthcare system. The National Assembly, therefore, has a critical role to play in strengthening implementation through funding and oversight. In light of these considerations, the National Assembly may consider the following actions: 1. Call on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and relevant agencies to establish a clear implementation framework that assigns specific responsibilities to all stakeholders involved in health workforce governance. 2. Request annual implementation reports from relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure effective implementation of health workers migration policy. 3. Through its health committees, urge the Federal Ministry of Health to establish a centralised digital database to monitor workforce supply, migration trends, distribution, and retention for evidence-based policymaking. 4. Encourage the Federal Ministry of Health to incorporate health workforce retention into national budgets, health sector reforms, and broader human capital development strategies to support sustainable healthcare delivery. 5. Support reforms to enhance remuneration, career progression, workplace safety, and incentives, particularly for healthcare professionals serving in rural and underserved areas.