Brain Drain of Health Professionals and Sustainable Development: A Challenge for the Health Administrators in Nigeria

The phenomenon of brain drain as it manifests in the health sector among health professionals was the centre of analysis. The centre-periphery model and fundamental theory provided the foundation for analysing brain drain in Nigeria’s health sector. Reliance was on secondary data, which was used in expository discourse of occurrence. Concepts and issues that are clearly explained and illustrated include brain drain, health professionals, health administrators, dimensions, direction, causes consequences and solutions to brain drain. Challenges imposed by brain drain on health administrators were revealed, such as human resource planning disruption, budget wastage, deviation from organisational culture and norms, leadership crises and indiscipline, growth, development, innovation and talent management challenges. It was recommended that health administrators should be regulated by legislation to empower them with effective control and leadership over other health professionals in order to be able to control brain drain and its negative impact on the health sector. Favourable working conditions and remuneration should be provided to all health workers in order to discourage emigration among them if Nigeria is to meet the recommended health requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).