Reports indicate a significant exodus of doctors from Cameroon in pursuit of better opportunities abroad. Officials note a 70% increase in individuals, particularly doctors, obtaining passports and visas for Europe and North America. Alarmingly, 75% of the 1,000 Cameroonian doctors trained annually by the government leave the country, exacerbating the healthcare system’s brain drain.
While some migrate to Canada, others seek opportunities through the U.S. Diversity Immigration Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery. This migration trend has led to a doctor-to-patient ratio of one to 50,000, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one to 10,000.
Data from the Cameroon Medical Council attributes this mass exodus to hardships, low wages, challenging work conditions, and unemployment. Peter Louis Ndifor, the council’s vice president, highlights that many trained doctors remain unemployed, further fueling the healthcare sector’s brain drain.