Health
FG vaccine fund runs into crisis, AstraZeneca scarcity hits India
· Nigeria may go for Pfizer which costs $20 per dose; AstraZeneca, $4
· WHO may review usage of expired COVID-19 vaccine for Nigeria, others
There are strong indications that a crisis has hit Nigeria’s moves to procure more COVID-19 vaccine doses as the budget estimates for the procurement are grossly inadequate.
It was gathered on Sunday that the budget estimates the Ministry of Health submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning were based on AstraZeneca vaccine, which is $4 per dose.
Findings, however, indicated that because of the scarcity of AstraZeneca vaccine, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis in India, Nigeria might opt for Pfizer vaccine, which is $20 per dose.
It was learnt that with the cash crunch facing the country, it might be difficult to get additional funds to purchase all the Pfizer vaccine doses needed.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had at a meeting with the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, in March said he would submit to the National Assembly, a supplementary budget for arms purchase and COVID-19 vaccines.
But the National Assembly on Sunday told The PUNCH that it was still awaiting the supplementary budget.
Recall that the Federal Government on March 2 received 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX, an initiative co-led by the Vaccine Alliance, GAVI, and the World Health Organisation.
The initiative seeks to ensure equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine by dividing about two billion doses across 92 low-and middle-income countries.
As of May 1, 1,222, 109 Nigerians had been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
India, which manufactures Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, has halted its export following the spread of a devastating strain of the virus in the country.
According to a BBC report, 190 countries that are under the Covax scheme are likely to be affected as India battles to meet its local vaccine needs.
On Sunday, India recorded 3,689 COVID-19 deaths, 24 hours after it recorded more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases in a single day for the first time.
According to the CNN, several Indian states were forced to postpone their vaccination plans on Saturday due to supply shortages.
On Sunday, it was learnt the Federal Ministry of Health’s budget proposal, which was based on AstraZeneca vaccine, might be increased so that the fund could be used to procure Pfizer vaccine.
A top health official, who spoke to The PUNCH on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak with the press, said the proposal submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, were estimates of AstraZeneca which are now scarce.
The official said with the scarcity of AstraZeneca, which cost about $4 per dose, Nigeria may opt for Pfizer, the only other vaccine which had been approved by the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control.
She said, “The estimates we submitted were for AstraZeneca which is the cheapest vaccine on the market. We estimated that each dose would cost $4.
“However, with the scarcity of AstraZeneca, we may have to opt for Pfizer. Unfortunately, Pfizer will cost us about $20 per dose and each person will need two doses. That is $40 per person. They are now talking about a booster jab which will cost an extra $20. In essence, it may cost $60 (N24,600) to vaccinate one Nigerian.
“This problem is not peculiar to Nigeria, but this is what we are facing now due to the scarcity of vaccines. Also, I am sure you are aware that Nigeria is facing a scarcity of funds. So, advocacy remains our best strategy. These are non-pharmaceutical interventions like wearing masks, social distancing and washing of hands.”
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had in a memo last week stated that it would be making no contribution to the Federation Account because of its huge oil subsidy payments, a situation which has put the government in panic mode.
In a related development, it was learnt that over a month after the Ministry of Health had submitted its COVID-19 budget estimates to the finance ministry, the proposal had not yet been submitted to the National Assembly.
The Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, had on March 31 told State House reporters that the health component of the supplementary budget – which included vaccine estimates – was being delayed by the failure of the Ministry of Defence to submit its own estimates for military hardware.
When asked the time the finance ministry would send the COVID-19 supplementary budget to the National Assembly, the media aide to the finance minister, Yunusa Abdullahi, told one of our correspondents that he would respond later.
He had yet to provide the response up till the time of filing this report neither had he replied to a text message sent to him on the matter.
Also, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, did not take his calls when The PUNCH attempted to get his reaction to the crisis over the vaccine budget.
He also did not respond to the text message sent to him on the matter.
In the text message, the minister was asked if it was true that the WHO met with him and some others to review the usage of expiring COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria and whether it was also true that the scarcity of AstraZeneca would increase the nation’s budget for vaccine as Nigeria might opt for a more expensive vaccine, Pfizer.
He has yet to either return the calls or respond to the text message as of the time of filing this report at 9.30pm.
WHO may review usage of expired COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria, others
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation will this week consult Indian health authorities to determine if expired AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine can be used for countries like Nigeria which benefit from its COVAX facility.
The Director, WHO, Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, stated this during an interview with select journalists on Thursday.
The idea, it was learnt, had been discussed with all ministers of health in Africa including Nigeria’s Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire.
The PUNCH was informed that the move had become necessary due to the scarcity of AstraZeneca vaccine caused by the recent surge in COVID-19 infections in India which is the manufacturer of the vaccine.
Moeti said, “On Tuesday I met with ministers in the African region to discuss key issues, particularly around expiring doses, supply shortages, vaccine safety and misinformation. The WHO is awaiting additional stability data from the Serum Institute of India to determine if the shelf life of AstraZeneca COVID-19 doses can be extended from six months to nine months.
“For doses that have already expired, the WHO is looking closely at the regulatory, scientific, logistical and problematic challenges and will issue a statement next week (this week).”
The BBC had reported last week that many vaccines could be used up to 36 months after manufacture, but because COVID-19 jabs are relatively new, there is not enough data to prove their effectiveness over longer periods.
The British medium noted that the WHO had in April urged African countries not to destroy COVID-19 vaccines that might have passed their expiry date but keep hold of them and wait for further guidance.
The PUNCH reports that the WHO may this week determine if Nigeria can extend usage of its over 1.5 million doses which are expected to expire between June 28 and July 10, 2021.
The WHO regional director said, “We are encouraging countries to prioritise the first dose to reach more people rather than saving supplies for the second dose.
“It is imperative that the available doses are used as quickly as possible to protect people from severe disease and death due to COVID-19.”
Govs await FG, states running out of vaccine stocks
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, stated, “Most manufacturers of these vaccines do not want to deal with sub-national, they want to deal directly with the Federal Government. So, we have to wait, no matter the situation on what the Federal Government wants to do.”
“We are a sub-national, before we take any step we have to go through the Federal Government. The FG has some policies about vaccination which we must follow. We are still waiting for the Federal Government before we make decision on vaccine importation.”
Bauchi State Government has declared that it has no plans to buy additional COVID-19 vaccine doses for the state.
The Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed, told one of our correspondents that the state government had just received additional 24,000 doses of the vaccine from the Federal Government in addition to the earlier 80,570 doses it received.
Mohammed, who is the Contact and Surveillance Sub-Committee Chairman, Bauchi State Task Force on COVID-19 said, “Bauchi State is not ready to import any COVID-19 vaccine because the Federal Government just yesterday (Saturday), released additional 24,000 doses to us. This is in addition to the 80,570 we had earlier received.”
On its part, the Sokoto State said this week it would exhaust the remaining doses of the vaccine it had.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Ali Inname, told one of our correspondents that out of the 68,660 vaccines the state received, it had exhausted 34,000, on 21,000 people.
Inname stated, “Plans have been concluded to take the remaining vaccine doses to all the local government areas in the state. This will be done in the next ten days, to exhaust the remaining 34,000 doses.”
When contacted, the Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Public Health, Dr. ‘Siji Olamiju, stated, “Once we know Federal Government’s plan, I can assure you that the state government of Osun will be the first to kick start process of getting vaccine because Mr Governor places high premium on the healthy living of the residents.”
Also, the Akwa Ibom State commissioner of Health, Prof. Augustine Umoh, said that vaccines were only available to countries, not states.
He said “Yes, plans are still in place to bring in vaccines by the country. Vaccines are available only to countries, not states.”
The Kano State Coordinator of the Task Force on COVID-19, Dr Tijjani Husain, said that it was the sole responsibility of the Federal Government to provide COVID-19 vaccine doses to the states.
He disclosed that the Federal Government recently provided 10,000 additional doses of the vaccine to Kano State after it exhausted the 209,520 doses of the Oxford Astrazenica vaccine it received earlier.
We are still expecting COVID-19 vaccine budget from executive – Senate
Meanwhile, the Senate on Sunday it was still expecting the supplementary budget for the purpose of procuring additional COVID-19 vaccines from the executive.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents.
Asked for the update on the plans by the Federal Government to procure additional vaccines, Utazi said, “We are still expecting the supplementary budget from the executive arm of government.”
No fewer than 20,966 Nigerian health workers relocated abroad within one year, according to official figures contained in the State of Health of the Nation Report 2025, obtained by Saturday PUNCH.
The mass exodus comprised 3,919 doctors, 7,487 nurses and midwives, 6,861 medical laboratory professionals, 702 pharmacists, 658 physiotherapists and hundreds of other healthcare specialists.
The growing migration came under the spotlight following the relocation of a Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Dr Salamat Aliu-Ibrahim, to the United States.
Aliu-Ibrahim, a renowned neurosurgeon, now serves as Medical Director, Paediatrics, at Freeman Children’s Clinic, a facility under Freeman Health System in Joplin, Missouri.
Data obtained from the United Kingdom’s General Medical Council showed that 4,691 Nigerian-trained doctors joined the UK medical register between May 2023 and April 2026.
According to the GMC register, 15,896 Nigerian-trained doctors are currently licensed to practise in the UK, comprising 9,664 males and 6,232 females.
However, President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, appealed to Nigerian medical professionals in the diaspora to encourage more Nigerians abroad to return home and contribute to the country’s development, stressing that there is no place like home.
20,966 Nigerian Health Workers Migrated
An analysis of the State of Health of the Nation Report 2025 showed that only 60,551 of Nigeria’s 95,456 registered doctors currently hold active practising licences, representing 63 per cent. Only 51 per cent of licensed doctors are actively employed within Nigeria’s health system.
The nursing and midwifery workforce, Nigeria’s largest health profession, has also suffered substantial losses, recording the highest level of migration among health professionals.
Although Nigeria has 267,951 registered nurses and midwives, comprising 73,130 nurses, 21,031 midwives and 173,790 nurses with post-basic qualifications, only 113,123 currently hold active practising licences, representing an effective licensing ratio of 42 per cent.
Of those with active licences, 78 per cent remain employed in the country.
The report further showed that 658 physiotherapists have migrated, leaving only 852 of the country’s 8,642 registered physiotherapists with active practising licences.
Similarly, 21 occupational therapists have migrated, while only 11 of the 176 registered professionals currently hold active licences.
There are 257 registered occupational therapist assistants, but only 51 currently possess practising licences.
The report also showed that 431 optometrists have migrated abroad. Of the 6,975 registered optometrists, only 2,156 hold active practising licences, while 66 per cent remain employed locally.
Among opticians, only 307 of the 2,976 registered professionals currently hold practising licences, while 18 have migrated abroad.
UK, US, Canada, Saudi Arabia Top Destinations
The United Kingdom remains a leading destination for Nigerian health workers, particularly doctors and nurses, due to easier professional registration, better remuneration, structured specialist training and persistent workforce shortages within the National Health Service.
Although international recruitment has slowed since 2025, Nigeria remains one of the major source countries for overseas-trained nurses practising in the UK.
A breakdown of data obtained from the UK GMC register showed that 7,875 Nigerian-trained doctors were licensed to practise in the UK in 2020, rising to 9,976 in 2022.
In 2023, the number rose further to 12,198, making Nigeria the third-largest source of foreign-trained doctors in the UK, behind India, with 38,228 doctors, and Pakistan, with 27,739.
Figures from the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council also showed a sharp rise in the number of internationally educated nurses and midwives on its register, driven largely by recruitment from countries including Nigeria, India, Ghana and the Philippines.
According to the council, the number of Nigerian nurses and midwives in the UK has risen above 16,000.
Beyond the UK, the United States and Canada have also become increasingly attractive destinations for Nigerian healthcare professionals.
As of 2020, a total of 3,895 Nigerian-trained doctors were licensed to practise medicine in the US.
Australia has also intensified recruitment of overseas-trained doctors and nurses to address shortages in regional and rural health services, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue to attract Nigerian healthcare professionals with tax-free salaries, subsidised accommodation and other employment benefits.
The Enugu State Government, through the Ministry of Health, has sealed four private health facilities in Enugu North Local Government Area for operating without valid licences and failing to meet regulatory requirements.
The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Chidiogo Ugodu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Enugu, noting that the enforcement action was carried out on July 8.
According to the statement, the ministry has intensified the monitoring and supervision of private health facilities across the state to ensure quality healthcare delivery and strict compliance with regulatory standards.
The renewed enforcement exercise was initiated by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu.
As part of the exercise, the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Chinyere Ezeudu, led a team of senior ministry officials on an unscheduled inspection of private health facilities in Enugu North LGA.
The ministry explained that the exercise was aimed at ensuring that all private hospitals and healthcare providers operating in the state comply with statutory requirements, including the renewal of operating licences and the registration of facilities yet to be captured by regulatory authorities.
During the inspection, the team visited seven private health facilities, assessing their operational status, licensing documentation, and compliance with established healthcare standards. Four of the facilities were subsequently sealed for regulatory violations.
Speaking on the exercise, Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, reaffirmed the commitment of the state government, under the leadership of Governor Peter Mbah, to protecting residents by ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and quality healthcare services.
He stressed that the monitoring and enforcement exercise would continue across the state to ensure that only duly registered and licensed healthcare facilities operate.
Ugwu also urged operators of private health facilities to regularise their operations by renewing expired licences and registering facilities that are yet to be approved.
“The ongoing monitoring exercise is not only a regulatory measure but also a critical step towards strengthening the health system and safeguarding the lives of citizens,” he said.
The latest enforcement follows a similar operation carried out a few weeks ago, during which the Ministry of Health sealed three illegal health facilities in Enugu South Local Government Area for operating without valid licences.
Elder statesman and former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, has commissioned the newly renovated and re-equipped Neonatal and Special Babies Ward at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Parklane, Enugu.
The commissioning formed part of the activities marking the 2026 Children’s Day celebration which was attended by top government officials, healthcare professionals and stakeholders in the health sector.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, commended the intervention and described it as a major boost to healthcare delivery and neonatal care in the state.
He also praised the former governor for coming out to honour the unveiling of the project despite his busy schedules, saying his love for the people of the state would continue to resonate with the administration.
The project, which was facilitated through the Cecilia Oyebola Foundation founded by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Yomi Jaye, was equipped with modern incubators, infusion and syringe pumps, phototherapy equipment, autoclave machines, baby monitoring devices and upgraded nursing facilities aimed at improving neonatal care and reducing infant mortality.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Mbah during the ceremony, Prof. Onyia lauded Dr. Jaye for his dedication and personal sacrifice towards advancing healthcare delivery in Enugu State.
According to him, the intervention reflected the culture of service and collective responsibility encouraged by the Mbah administration, where public officials contribute beyond their official responsibilities towards the development of the state.
He described Dr. Jaye, who also marked his 51st birthday, as a committed and exemplary public servant whose dedication continued to strengthen confidence in the administration’s healthcare transformation agenda.
Prof. Onyia further stated that the Mbah administration had transformed ESUT Teaching Hospital from the condition it met in 2023 into a modern and rapidly improving medical institution capable of competing with leading healthcare facilities across the country.
He reiterated the commitment of Governor Mbah’s administration to building a world-class healthcare system through sustained investments in infrastructure, equipment and manpower development.
Performing the commissioning and ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside his wife, Dr. Patricia Nwobodo, Senator Nwobodo expressed admiration over the quality of facilities installed at the neonatal ward.
He praised the governor for what he described as unprecedented transformation in the health sector and insisted that the governor deserved overwhelming support for re-election in 2027.
According to the former governor, the facilities and standards at the ward compared favourably with what is obtainable in advanced countries, stressing that the development further demonstrated that the current administration was delivering tangible results across critical sectors.
In his remarks, Dr. Yomi Jaye explained that the project was inspired by his lifelong commitment to children’s welfare and dedicated to the memory of his late mother, who was a teacher.
He disclosed that the renovated ward was designed in line with modern infection prevention protocols critical to newborn survival, recalling the painful loss of his almost twin brother due to infection-related complications.
Dr. Jaye noted that the intervention aligned with Governor Mbah’s vision of transforming healthcare delivery through preventive and patient-centred care, adding that ongoing investments in hospitals, primary healthcare and medical training had continued to reposition Enugu as a leading healthcare destination.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of ESUTH Parklane, Prof. Bethrand Ngwu, expressed gratitude to Governor Mbah and Dr. Jaye for their interventions and support towards improving healthcare services in the hospital.
He stated that the administration’s investments had significantly improved healthcare delivery and staff morale, assuring that the newly installed facilities would be properly maintained and maximally utilised for the benefit of newborns and other vulnerable patients requiring specialised care.
In 2024, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, revealed that Nigeria had about 55,000 licensed doctors.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Pate disclosed that no fewer than 16,000 doctors had left the country in the past five years, while about 17,000 others had been transferred out of active service.
Worrisomely, a new revelation by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, indicates that the number of practising doctors in Nigeria has declined from 55,000 to 40,000 within just one year.
In his presentation at a one-day leadership dialogue in Lagos themed “Strengthening PHC Systems: A Joint Leadership Dialogue,” Abayomi identified manpower shortage as one of the most critical challenges facing the health sector.
The dialogue, organised by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board with support from development partners, addressed barriers hindering PHCs from meeting expectations and proposed practical solutions for building sustainable PHCs with lasting impact.
Abayomi stated that Lagos currently has only 7,000 doctors serving an estimated 30 million residents, far below the number needed for optimal care delivery.
The commissioner raised concerns over the acute shortage of health workers in the state, disclosing that the state requires an additional 33,000 doctors to meet the healthcare demands of its growing population.
“Nigeria currently has about 40,000 doctors against an estimated need of 300,000, while Lagos alone requires about 33,000 doctors but has only about 7,000,” he said.
According to him, Lagos’ doctor-to-population ratio remains far below what is required for optimal healthcare delivery, noting that the state’s doctors are serving an estimated population of nearly 30 million people.
To address the shortfall, Abayomi said the state government is investing in its newly established University of Medicine and Health.
“Within five years, UMH will produce about 2,500 healthcare workers annually, including laboratory scientists and other essential cadres,” he stated.
The mass exodus of healthcare professionals popularly known as japa syndrome, especially doctors, nurses, and pharmacists has remained a major concern in Nigeria.
A 2017 survey conducted by a Nigerian polling organisation in partnership with Nigeria Health Watch revealed that about 88 per cent of Nigerian doctors were seeking job opportunities abroad at the time.
The President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Bala Audu, recently warned that Nigeria has moved beyond passive brain drain and has become a direct recruitment hub for foreign governments seeking skilled medical professionals.
In an interview, Audu revealed that international recruiters now visit Nigeria to directly hire doctors—particularly specialists such as obstetricians, gynaecologists, and paediatricians—offering them superior working conditions, remuneration, and infrastructure.
He lamented that while Nigeria’s population continues to grow and mortality rates remain high, the country is losing specialists at an alarming rate.
“Many of our doctors are not even going abroad to look for jobs. Foreign governments now come into Nigeria to pick doctors and take them away,” Audu said.
“We are still having more births, yet maternal deaths remain high because the skilled birth attendants who should care for these women are reducing every day.”
Audu added that in some specialties, the number of Nigerian doctors practising abroad may already exceed those still working within the country, a situation worsened by the government’s failure to significantly improve doctors’ welfare despite existing policy frameworks.
Experts have warned that with the current pace of emigration, it would be impossible for Nigeria to produce enough health workers to meet its growing healthcare demands. They estimate that it would take at least 20 years to train the over 400,000 health workers required to close the gap.
A former President of the NMA, Prof. Mike Ogirima, described Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio as “horrible,” noting that the country currently has about one doctor to 8,000 patients—far below the World Health Organisation’s recommendation of one doctor to 600 patients.
Nigerian health communication researcher, Ifesinachi Ayogu, has attributed the rising number of cancer-related deaths in the country to the neglect of routine self-breast examination among women and routine Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing among men.
Ayogu told journalists on Monday that the failure to prioritise regular screening had contributed significantly to late detection of breast and prostate cancers, which are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Nigeria.
He said many cancer cases were only discovered when the disease had reached advanced stages, making treatment more complex and survival chances lower.
According to him, the increasing burden of cancer deaths calls for a more intentional and sustained approach to cancer awareness, early detection, and preventive health behaviour.
“Early detection saves lives, but many people are not practising simple, routine screening that could help detect cancer early,” Ayogu said.
He noted that breast cancer and prostate cancer were often manageable when detected early, but ignorance, fear, stigma, and limited awareness continued to discourage people from carrying out regular checks.
The researcher explained that self-breast examination allows women to notice unusual lumps or changes early, while routine PSA testing helps detect prostate abnormalities before symptoms become severe.
Ayogu said deaths resulting from breast and prostate cancers were often preventable, stressing that delayed diagnosis was a major factor contributing to high mortality rates.
He added that many Nigerians still lacked basic information on how to conduct self-breast examinations, when to go for PSA tests, and where to seek appropriate medical care.
The health communication researcher emphasised the need for community-based education, especially in rural areas, using trusted platforms such as churches, markets, women’s groups, and radio programmes to promote routine screening practices.
He also urged healthcare providers and public health institutions to intensify public education on cancer prevention and ensure that screening information was simple, accurate, and accessible.
Ayogu advised individuals with a family history of breast or prostate cancer to be particularly vigilant about routine screening and healthy lifestyle practices.
He stressed that promoting routine self-breast examination and PSA testing would play a critical role in reducing late presentation and improving cancer survival outcomes in Nigeria.
Ifeshinachi Ayogu is a PhD graduate student, at the University of Oklahoma United States of America, his core interest is cancer communication, according to him, he believes that the next breakthroughs in cancer care for Nigerian women and men will not come from medicine alone.
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