The brain drain potential of skilled health workers from sub-Saharan Africa: A case study of pharmacy students in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The increasing migration of health workers from low- and middle-income countries is an ongoing public health concern. This study evaluated the brain drain potential of pharmacy students in Nigeria.  Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of final year pharmacy students from three Nigerian universities. Data collection was done via a 46-item self-administered questionnaire.     Results: There were 377 respondents. Reasons for potential emigration included better standard of living (n=334, 88.6%), access to advanced technology (n=330, 87.5%) and opportunity for professional development (n=341, 90.5%) in the destination countries. Respondents younger than 25 years were more likely to have a high emigration potential compared to those older (98.6% vs 84.6%, ꭓ2=10.816, p=0.029).     Conclusion: This study showed high emigration potential for the surveyed final year pharmacy students. This highlights the need for interventions that will promote retention and limit brain drain.