Nigeria’s fragile health system is buckling under immense pressure as the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised alarm over two major crises: the extreme shortage of doctors and the worsening rates of child malnutrition.
The association revealed that one doctor now attends to an average of 9,083 Nigerians, far above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended ratio of one doctor to 600 people. At the same time, more than 35 percent of Nigerian children are malnourished, making the country one of the worst-hit globally.
Speaking in Abuja, NARD President Dr. Dele Abdullahi described the situation as unsustainable. He explained that thousands of doctors have left Nigeria in recent years for better working conditions abroad, leaving public hospitals overstretched.
“Every week, we receive exit notices from our colleagues. Some departments that used to have 20 doctors now have only two or three handling hundreds of patients. This is dangerous and it puts lives at risk, a fellow Resident.
Data from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria shows that while over 80,000 doctors are registered, less than half are currently practicing in the country. Many have migrated to the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
For patients, the consequences are dire. In Lagos, a mother, Modupe Adeyemi, recalled how her daughter almost lost her life due to delays. “We got to the general hospital and the doctors were overwhelmed. We waited for nearly five hours before she could be attended to. I don’t blame the doctors, but the system is broken,” she said.
The silent emergency of malnutrition
While doctors struggle with overwhelming patient loads, another crisis is brewing. NARD reports that over 35 percent of Nigerian children are malnourished. According to UNICEF, that amounts to at least 12 million children under five who are stunted, wasted, or underweight.
Dr. Nkem Chukwuma, a pediatrician in Abuja, explained the dangers. “Malnutrition doesn’t just mean a child is hungry. It means delayed brain development, weak immunity, poor school performance and, in many cases, preventable deaths.”
The National Bureau of Statistics recently reported that food inflation rose to 40.9 percent in August 2025, pushing nutritious meals beyond the reach of many households. Insecurity in farming communities has also worsened food shortages.
A farmer from Zamfara, Hassan Ibrahim, shared his ordeal. “We used to grow maize and beans, but bandits chased us away. Now we buy food at very high prices. Sometimes my children eat only once a day,” he said.
The Federal Government has acknowledged the twin challenges. Officials point to the 2025 Health Workforce Strategy, which aims to recruit more medical staff, improve welfare, and expand training. Similarly, the government announced a National Food Security and Nutrition Plan to cut child malnutrition rates by half over the next five years.
But doctors and civil society groups argue that implementation remains weak. “We hear about billions allocated to school feeding, but in many communities children are not fed. What we see are inflated contracts and abandoned projects,” said nutrition advocate Maryam Yusuf.
While South Africa maintains a doctor-to-patient ratio of about 1:1,200 and the UK has 1:350, Nigeria’s 1:9,083 is among the worst in the world. The result is avoidable deaths from conditions that could easily be treated if adequate personnel and facilities were available.
At the same time, UNICEF notes that Nigeria has the second highest burden of stunted children globally. Malnutrition remains the underlying cause of nearly 50 percent of under-five deaths worldwide.
Nigerians have taken to social media to express frustration over what they describe as government neglect. On X, one user wrote: “If one doctor has to treat over 9,000 people, then healthcare in Nigeria is basically non-existent.” Another added: “How can 35 percent of children be malnourished in a country that exports food? This is criminal negligence.”
Health experts stress that solutions must go beyond policy statements. They recommend urgent investments in health infrastructure, improved pay and incentives for doctors, subsidies for staple foods, school feeding expansion, and tighter security for farmers.
NARD insists that unless the government takes bold steps, Nigeria risks a humanitarian disaster. “Malnutrition and doctor shortages are not just health issues they are national security issues. The future of our children and our nation is at stake,” a Resident said.
