Nigeria health system fragility causes \$1.2bn medical tourism loss yearly, experts urge reforms in funding, remuneration, and human resource development

The Nigeria health system fragility is costing the country over \$1.2 billion annually due to medical tourism, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

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Dr Habibu Yahaya, WHO Coordinator in Ondo State, revealed this figure during the fourth Annual Public Health Grand Round at the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo State.

The event, held at Oladipo Akinkugbe Hall, centred around the theme: Health Systems Strengthening: Building Resilience for the Future.

“Health system fragility results in about \$1.2 billion lost from the Nigerian economy to medical tourism yearly,” Yahaya stated. He attributed this to systemic shocks such as epidemics, poor funding, persistent strikes, and long-standing structural weaknesses.

Experts at the conference agreed that gaps in human resources contribute significantly to the system’s weaknesses. During a panel discussion moderated by Dr Ibukun Adesiyan, Prof Ezekiel Adebayo, Chairman of the Committee of Deans, noted that UNIMED was created to address this challenge.

“UNIMED runs the highest number of accredited health professional courses in any Nigerian university. We’re the only one in West Africa training dental surgeons, technologists, and therapists at the degree level,” Adebayo said.

Prof Ofonime Johnson, Acting Dean of the School of Public Health, added that the Grand Round is an annual platform for tackling critical public health issues through scientific discourse.

Prof Adolphous Loto, Acting Vice-Chancellor, stressed the urgency of building resilience within Nigeria’s health system to withstand current and future crises.

Meanwhile, Dr Babajide Saheed, Lagos Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), called for an urgent review of health workers’ salaries.

Speaking at the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Dermatologists in Lagos, he urged the government to adjust remuneration to reflect inflation.

“Increasing health workers’ pay will curb brain drain. Doctors and nurses are leaving for better opportunities abroad. This trend weakens our already fragile health system,” Saheed said.

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The conference highlighted that reversing the Nigeria health system fragility requires more than infrastructure—it demands improved funding, human capital development, and political will to sustain reform.