UK Bars Active Recruitment Of Health Workers From Nigeria

The United Kingdom Government has barred active recruitment of health workers from Nigeria by health and social care employers in the UK.

The UK disclosed this in its updated ‘Code of Practice’ for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel’ posted on its website.

Nigeria has now been included in the red list of countries facing critical shortage of health workers as contained in the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s health workforce support and safeguards list.

In March, the WHO published the safeguards list comprising 55 countries — including Nigeria — struggling with a shortage of health workers.

The UK government said Nigeria and other countries on the red list should be prioritised for health personnel development and health system-related support as well as provided with safeguards that discourage active international recruitment of their workers.