Why Taraba Must Urgently Reverse Its Healthcare Crisis

 

Let's begin with a shocking reality: Taraba State, with a population of over 3.6 million people, has only 201 doctors—and that number includes retirees! That's roughly one doctor for every 17,900 people. In a world where the World Health Organization recommends 1 doctor to 600 patients, Taraba's numbers spell a full-blown medical crisis.

 

This isn't just data—it's a deadly equation. Every expectant mother, every sick child, every trauma case is not just contending with disease, but with a hollow system that's struggling to stand. Taraba is in a state of medical emergency, and we must stop treating this as a distant or bureaucratic issue. Lives are on the line.

 

A System Gasping for Breath

This doctor shortage didn't happen overnight. It's the consequence of years of underinvestment, poor incentives, weak infrastructure, and worsening insecurity. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Taraba has raised the alarm repeatedly—citing non-payment of allowances, lack of CONMESS implementation, poor working conditions, and the flight of healthcare professionals out of the state.

But even more tragic is the silent pain of the people. Patients abandoned at the mercy of faith and fate. Rural clinics operating without a single certified doctor. Urban hospitals overwhelmed by volume and underwhelmed by government support.

 

A Commendable First Step, But…

We must acknowledge a bold and welcome development: the recent upward review of salaries by the Taraba State Government. This is commendable and shows that leadership is beginning to respond to public service concerns. It sends the right signal. But make no mistake—salary alone will not fix this crisis.

The shortage of doctors is a deep wound that requires surgery, not a band-aid. The salary review is a strong first incision, but more strategic and surgical actions are needed—urgently—to avert the full collapse of the state's health sector.

The Blueprint for Medical Revival

If Taraba is serious about turning the tide, here is a set of deliberate, achievable strategies that should shape its healthcare blueprint:

 

1. Secure the Health Environment

Doctors are not immune to fear. While the effort of the government in tackling insecurity in every part of the state is acknowledged and commended,insecurity in some parts of Taraba has become a deterrent for healthcare workers. We must secure our rural clinics and hospitals. Provide police outposts in vulnerable zones. Collaborate with vigilante and community security groups. A safe state is a healthy state.

 

2. Incentivize Rural Service

Want doctors in Donga, Gembu, Lissam, WuroBaka, Lau? Give them reasons to go. Offer rural bonuses, subsidized accommodation, fast-track promotions, and scholarships for their children. We need to make staying attractive—and leaving, costly.

 

3. Strategic Sponsorship of Indigenous Doctors

Here lies a long-term masterstroke: sponsor Taraba-born doctors through postgraduate and consultant-level training in teaching hospitals across Nigeria and possible overseas if funds permit. Bond them to return and serve the state for 5–7 years. Thesespecialists will not only help reverse the brain drain, but also become founding faculty for a future College of Medicine at Taraba State University. That college can become a self-sustaining pipeline of medical professionals. It won't happen overnight—but if we start now, we will see the fruits in less than a decade.

 

4.Re-build and Re-equip Healthcare Facilities

Doctors need tools. Many of our hospitals operate like war zones—outdated equipment, no electricity, no drugs, and in some cases, no roofs. As we speak, there is no functioning CT scan machine in the entire Taraba State. This is not just an oversight—it is an indictment of how poorly equipped our facilities are. CT scans are basic diagnostic tools in modern medicine. Their total absence highlights just how far behind we are. The state must invest in modern health equipment—ultrasound, X-ray, dialysis machines, ICU beds—and train staff to use them.The state must revamp infrastructure across the board—from the Specialist Hospital in Jalingo to the PHCC in Donga and Bali. Health tech, modern labs, operating theatres—these are not luxuries, they are necessities.

 

5. Use Technology Now

Why are we not using telemedicine to connect rural communities to urban or even out-of-state doctors? Why are we not deploying mobile clinics to underserved LGAs? If we can't get every doctor to every village, we can at least get their expertise across digital platforms.

 

6. Regulate and Eliminate Quackery

The vacuum created by the absence of licensed doctors is being filled by quacks. These are ticking time bombs in lab coats. The government must crack down on unlicensed practitioners, regulate private clinics, and educate the public on how to identify and report suspicious operators.

 

7. Engage the Diaspora and Private Sector

There are Taraban doctors in the UK, the US, Canada, and other parts of Nigeria. Launch a Return Home Initiative to attract them back—even for short-term placements or virtual consulting. Pair this with public-private partnerships to open diagnostic centres, maternity wards, and rehab clinics.

 

8. Medical Outreach and Community Trust

We must also rebuild the trust of our people in the system. Sponsor regular community medical outreach programs. Make the presence of doctors felt in villages again. The more visible and accessible they are, the more likely citizens will embrace health-seeking behavior.

 

Time Is Not on Our Side

This crisis is not theoretical. People are dying—avoidable deaths—because there is no one to attend to them. If we act now, we can still turn things around. But if we delay, the danger will become irreversible.

Governor Agbu Kefas has shown visible and commendable political will through salary review and other reforms even though this challenges existed before his entrance into governance. But leadership is not judged by intentions—it's measured by impact. This is the moment to go beyond commendable gestures and implement a full-scale health sector revolution in the State.

Because right now, in too many hospitals across Taraba State, the doctor is not in.

Let's change that- together and fast too.

 

Joachim Agbo is a development economist, public policy analyst and commentator, business and management Consultant.He is the host of "Business Hangout" on Rock FM 92.3. He writes and discusses public policy, economic reforms and business strategy. He can be reached at joachim2002n@gmail.com.