There are 3,112 dentists in Nigeria as of 2022, highlighting the limited availability of dental professionals in a population of over 200 million.
The Southwest geopolitical zone has the highest number of dentists, totaling 1,176 (37.8%), indicating a concentration of dental services in this region.
Collectively, the North (Northwest, North Central, and Northeast) has only 687 dentists, which is approximately 22% of the total, showcasing significant regional disparities in healthcare access.
The Southeast zone has the fewest dentists, with only 141 (4.5%), underlining a shortage of dental professionals in this region.
The concentration of dentists in zones like the Southwest likely reflects urbanization trends, leaving rural areas in other regions underserved.
Birth asphyxia is a condition where a baby does not receive sufficient oxygen before, during, and after birth. It is a leading cause of early neonatal mortality and was selected as an indicator in the assessment of the management of maternal and neonatal complications in Nigeria.
The percentage of health facilities surveyed that provide appropriate treatment for birth asphyxia varies from as low as 19.4% in the North West to as high as 50.3% in the South-South. With no zone exceeding 50%, significant gaps remain in reducing infant mortality in Nigeria.
Management of maternal and neonatal health complications is crucial to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria. In a newly released National Health Facility Report 2023 by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, competence in managing postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) varies across zones and states.
PPH is a situation where a woman experiences heavy bleeding after giving birth and is the leading cause of maternal mortality. Across the health facilities surveyed, the North East has the highest percentage of facilities providing appropriate treatment for PPH at 50.2%, which reflects the generally low provision of the needed care for PPH across the country.
The distribution of doctors across Nigeria shows disparities, with regional inequities in healthcare professionals. The North East, with only 2,420 doctors, has the lowest number of doctors among all geopolitical zones. This is less than half of the North West's total and significantly lags behind the South West, which leads with 13,624 doctors. The gender gap is also evident, as there are more male doctors across all regions.
Lagos State stands out with 7,385 doctors, far surpassing the next in line, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Meanwhile, five of the six states in the North East rank among the bottom ten states.
N.B. Unspecified bar represents doctors with unverifiable location identities.
The distribution of doctors across Nigeria shows disparities, with regional inequities in healthcare professionals. The North East, with only 2,420 doctors, has the lowest number of doctors among all geopolitical zones. This is less than half of the North West's total and significantly lags behind the South West, which leads with 13,624 doctors. The gender gap is also evident, as there are more male doctors across all regions.
Lagos State stands out with 7,385 doctors, far surpassing the next in line, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Meanwhile, five of the six states in the North East rank among the bottom ten states.
N.B. Unspecified bar represents doctors with unverifiable location identities.
Food and packaged water dominate NAFDAC registration, as close to 50% of all products registered between 2020 and 2022 were either food or packaged water. This suggests a significant focus on ensuring the safety and quality of these essential commodities. Human drugs also make up a substantial portion of registered products, reflecting the importance of regulating medications to protect public health. Cosmetics and herbal drugs follow closely with 13.2% and 6.5%, respectively.
