Nigeria is grappling with a significant 35% shortage of essential medicines across its healthcare facilities in since 2023, according to the latest National Health and Demographic Survey (NDHS) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This shortage remains a critical challenge, undermining the country’s ability to deliver quality healthcare to its population. The findings were presented by NBS’ Statistician General, Dr. Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, during the launch of the National Health Facility Survey (NHFS) Report 2023 in Abuja.
The report highlighted that despite ongoing reforms and substantial investments by the government and development partners to improve healthcare delivery, Nigeria continues to face substantial challenges. These include a persistent infant mortality rate of 63 per 1000 live births, which reflects the difficulties in improving maternal and child health outcomes across the country. Adeniran stressed that these challenges are exacerbated by the severe shortage of essential medicines, which affects all medical facilities nationwide and hinders effective treatment for a variety of health conditions.
Another issue that the report draws attention to is the ongoing migration of healthcare professionals. Adeniran noted that many doctors, nurses, and other skilled healthcare workers are leaving Nigeria for better opportunities abroad, particularly in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other developed nations. This migration has significantly worsened the shortage of healthcare personnel in the country, further straining the already overstretched healthcare system. The loss of these professionals hampers the country’s ability to meet the growing demand for healthcare services, particularly in underserved and rural areas.
The NHFS 2023 builds on previous surveys from 2016 and 2019 and incorporates enhanced tools for data collection. These improvements, developed in collaboration with the World Bank and the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), focus on assessing primary healthcare service delivery and improving accountability and governance in the sector. The Service Delivery Indicators (SDIs) included in this year’s report aim to provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating the preparedness of health facilities and their ability to deliver essential services effectively.
Adeniran emphasized that the report plays a vital role in guiding policy decisions and interventions aimed at addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges. He pointed out that the information from the NHFS is a crucial resource for policymakers and stakeholders, providing evidence-based recommendations to target the most urgent issues, particularly in primary healthcare. The findings underline the need for focused efforts to improve healthcare delivery, especially in rural and underserved areas, where the need for improvement is most pressing.
