Brain Drain: UK Places Nigeria On Red List For Health Workers’ Recruitment

Nigeria has been placed on UK red list of countries not to be targeted for International Recruitment by health and social care employers.

The government of the United Kingdom said the decision was taken after the World Health Organisation, WHO, last month listed 54 countries, including Nigeria, as facing the most pressing health workforce challenges related to Primary and Universal Health Coverage.

The implication is that The United Kingdom Government would accept Nigeria and other countries on the red list for Health and social care jobs only based on government-to-government agreements.

The information was contained in the UK Government’s official website titled “Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel in England”.

“Consistent with the WHO Global Code of Practice principles and articles, and as explicitly called for by the WHO Global Code of Practice 10-year review, the listed countries should be prioritised for health personnel development and health system-related support, provided with safeguards that discourage active international Recruitment of health personnel”, the document partly reads.

Recall that the House of Representatives had last week passed a second reading which seeks to tie down Nigerian-trained medical or dental practitioners for a minimum of five years in Nigeria before being granted full license.