Nigeria loses $150,000 annually to ophthalmologists’ migration — OSN

The Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) says the country loses about $150,000 annually for every ophthalmologist who migrates abroad, according to a report by the People’s Gazette. OSN President Gloria Patrick-Ferife disclosed this in a communiqué at the close of the society’s 51st Annual General Meeting in Abuja, themed “Re-imagining Eye Care in the Digital Era.”

She said inadequate employment opportunities, insecurity, and poor workforce distribution had worsened shortages, urging governments to hire more specialists, particularly in rural areas. Patrick-Ferife noted over 24 million Nigerians live with visual impairment, with 84 percent of cases preventable or treatable. She called for expanded use of tele-ophthalmology, artificial intelligence, and digital diagnostics to bridge access gaps nationwide.