The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate has that about 400,000 healthcare workforce in Nigeria are insufficient to cater to the healthcare needs of Nigerians.
Pate made the statement while addressing newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, after his three-day briefing session with departments and agencies under the ministry.
The meeting was organised by the ministry to chart a blueprint for Nigeria’s healthcare system.
According to Pate, the 400,000 workforce comprise community health workers, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physicians, lab scientists, technicians, and auxiliaries working in the Nigerian healthcare system.
“They are not enough if you think that this number can take care of 220 million people. Our doctor-to-population ratio is lower than what the World Health Organisation expects.
“So there’s still room to produce more. In fact, to produce excess because globally, there’s a shortage of health manpower, there is…