Nigerian doctors are fleeing the country for better pay and avoiding death on duty due to the country’s healthcare system. At least 2,000 Nigerian doctors emigrate annually to countries like the US, UK, and Canada. The average monthly salary for a Nigerian doctor in the federal government is 240,000 naira ($312.92), a fraction of the 2,448 ($2,967.20) average remuneration for their peers in the UK. State governments earn even less, which has been a key factor in their migration. Routine strikes for better wages and working conditions have led to patients waiting long hours in hospitals, some of which have died waiting, especially in areas of conflict in the country’s north. Dr. Orji Innocent, president of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), believes that it will be a matter of weeks before the total collapse of the healthcare system in Nigeria.
