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Nigeria Reports Shortage of Public Health Physicians, Says Association President
The president of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria stated that the country lacks sufficient public health physicians due to a broader shortage of medical doctors. He noted that the association has over 3,000 members but lacks complete data on total practitioners. Plans are underway to build a national secretariat and implement telemedicine to improve healthcare access.
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The president of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), Terfa Kene, stated that Nigeria faces a shortage of public health physicians, stemming from an overall lack of medical doctors in the country. He attributed this to professionals seeking better opportunities abroad, describing the world as a global village where people are drawn to improved service options.
said the exact number of public health physicians in Nigeria is unclear due to registration gaps and varying qualifications in the profession. This limits accurate national data for planning and policy development. He reported that the association has more than 3,000 registered members, though this figure does not represent the total number of practitioners working in Nigeria's healthcare system.
health physicians contribute to policy development, implementation, and epidemic response at all levels of governance in Nigeria, according to Terfa Kene. He stated that the association is pursuing innovation-driven initiatives to improve service delivery, strengthen professional collaboration, and enhance efficiency in the public health sector.
The association has begun plans to construct a national secretariat and estate to support members' welfare and professional coordination.
Support Appeal Terfa Kene said the project would include telemedicine services to increase access to care in underserved and hard-to-reach areas. He explained that telemedicine devices could be placed in remote locations, allowing doctors to provide consultations at no or minimal cost.
