In Nigeria, a government-licensed recruiting agency based in the capital, Abuja, is inundated with the number of qualified doctors intending to leave Nigeria to work in Saudi Arabia.

The situation is not helped by the ongoing and incessant strike by doctors over delayed payment of salaries and allowances.

 Meed Consultants’ recruitment drive include flyers inviting doctors for interviews circulating widely on social media, especially on WhatsApp platforms.

Consultant Dr Kura Phillip told the BBC’s Ishaq Khalid that he was applying as he wanted the opportunity to broaden his experience abroad – the poor treatment of doctors in Nigeria was an added incentive.

Local media reported that the ongoing doctor’s strike is behind the mass exodus of doctors – though many have often left over the years seeking better pay and work conditions.

Dr Peter Inunduh, chief medical officer at Benue State’s Federal Medical Centre, said lives are being put in jeopardy as he reckons things hadn’t been this bad since the late 1980s and 1990s.

“For example, you have one anaesthetist in the hospital and it is the anaesthetist that manages the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in an hospital, if he leaves, what do you think will happen to the ICU?” he said.

“Just this morning, my only anaesthetist, who is the most senior in Benue State, walked into my office to inform me he is leaving for Saudi.”

He warned that unless something was done urgently many critical areas would have to shut down.

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari returned from the UK where he regularly visits for medical attention.