Assessing the Impact of Medical Brain Drain on the Quality and Sustainability of Public Healthcare Delivery in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

The healthcare system in Nigeria is increasingly strained by the persistent migration of medical professionals, with reports indicating that over 40% of trained doctors have left the country in the past decade, while the doctor-to-patient ratio remains far below the World Health Organization’s recommended standard. This ongoing medical brain drain has contributed to staff shortages, longer waiting times, and declining quality of care, particularly in Southwest Nigeria. Despite growing concerns, there is a limited body of empirical research that examines how medical brain drain specifically affects both the quality and sustainability of healthcare delivery within this region, and this created a critical gap that this study seeks to address. This study examined how medical brain drain influences the quality and sustainability of public healthcare delivery in Southwest Nigeria. The study focused on healthcare professionals and administrators in selected public hospitals across Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti States. The research was anchored on Human Capital Theory. An explanatory research design was adopted, and the study employed a quantitative approach. The population comprised 1,920 healthcare workers, from which 320 respondents were selected using a stratified sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire (google form) and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that medical brain drain significantly reduces healthcare quality through increased workload, burnout, and limited patient care time. It also undermines sustainability by weakening institutional capacity, increasing dependence on less experienced staff, and reducing continuity of care. The study concluded that addressing medical brain drain is essential for improving healthcare outcomes. It recommended improved remuneration, better working conditions, and targeted retention policies for healthcare professionals.