FG sets up committees to address doctors’ workload, residency certification disputes
By Kunle Sanni –
The Federal Government of Nigeria has inaugurated two ministerial committees to address persistent industrial disputes in Nigeria’s health sector, including excessive work hours for doctors, locum engagement practices, and disagreements over residency training certification.
The committees were inaugurated in Abuja by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who said the move was part of ongoing efforts to reform the healthcare system, safeguard the welfare of health workers, and improve patient safety.
Dr Salako said issues surrounding prolonged duty hours, inconsistent locum engagement, and residency certification had repeatedly strained relations between the government and health sector unions, often triggering industrial action.
According to him, the first panel, known as the Ministerial Committee on Work Hour Regulation and Locum Engagement Policy, was established to tackle concerns over exhausting work schedules and the uneven use of locum officers in public hospitals.
He warned that excessive work hours pose serious risks to both health workers and patients, especially amid a global shortage of medical personnel. Citing World Health Organisation projections, Salako noted that the global health workforce gap could reach 11 million by 2030, with Nigeria significantly affected by the migration of professionals to developed countries.
The minister said the Federal Government had taken steps over the past 21 months to strengthen the health workforce, including introducing a Health Workforce Migration Policy, easing employment processes, improving remuneration, and expanding training quotas.
He disclosed that 14,444 health workers were employed in 2024, while 23,059 employments were approved in 2025, more than 70 per cent of whom were clinical staff.
