Health Worker Exodus: Cameroon’s Medical Professionals Seek Better Opportunities Abroad

Nevielle Leinyuy, a trained nurse from Cameroon, spent nearly a decade working as a front desk receptionist due to the lack of well-paying medical jobs in his home country. Last year, he decided to pursue a nursing program in Canada, relocating with his family for a better future.

“They are stealing us from Cameroon,” said Leinyuy, now 39. “We want to work in Cameroon, but there is no pay, so we have to look for other options.”

Cameroon faces a severe shortage of healthcare workers, with one of the lowest ratios of health professionals per capita globally. According to Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s Minister of Higher Education, approximately one-third of the country's newly graduated doctors left for better opportunities abroad last year.

The trend of medical professionals leaving Africa for more lucrative positions in Europe and North America is widespread. Canada, sharing official languages with Cameroon—English and French—has become an attractive destination for many.

Economic Struggles

Leinyuy recounted that as a nurse in Cameroon, he would have earned less than $100 a month, insufficient to support his family of five. “The rent of my house alone was 40,000 francs ($66),” he said.

This situation is not unique to Cameroon. A 2023 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted that nearly 75% of African nations experience significant shortages of healthcare professionals, exacerbated by high emigration rates. These shortages impede efforts to reduce infant mortality, combat infectious diseases, and provide essential services like vaccinations.

Comparative Statistics

Cameroon has fewer than seven nurses per 10,000 inhabitants, according to WHO data. In contrast, Nigeria has more than double that ratio, while Canada boasts over 14 times as many nurses per capita.

Marie-Pier Burelle, a spokesperson for Health Canada, acknowledged the country’s own health workforce shortages, with over 30,000 nursing positions currently vacant. Canada adheres to the WHO’s code of practice for ethical recruitment, which includes supporting the health systems of source countries. Last year, the Canadian government donated around $2.2 million to Cameroon’s health ministry and provided medical equipment as part of its Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity.

Impact on Cameroon’s Healthcare

Despite international aid, the needs in Cameroon are vast. The government employs only about 100 doctors annually for a population of 28 million, according to Dr. Peter Louis Ndifor, vice president of the Cameroon Medical Council. By contrast, the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, with a population under one million, recruited around 155 doctors last year.

Dr. Ndifor, who also runs a private medical clinic, has seen many young doctors he trained leave for better opportunities abroad. “Personally, I will not hold back any young person who thinks that their future is traveling abroad,” he said. “But when a young doctor that you’ve supervised for three to five years and given responsibility to leaves, it becomes a major setback.”

Broader Health Crisis

The exodus of healthcare workers is part of a larger health crisis in Cameroon. Over 210 health facilities have been rendered non-functional due to destruction or abandonment amidst the separatist conflict in the country’s west, which has claimed thousands of lives.

Canada's Role and Attractiveness

Canada has become an appealing destination for Cameroonian health workers due to targeted recruitment efforts by Canadian agencies and strong family ties. Programs like the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Express Entry have seen a surge in applications from Cameroonians. In 2022, over 1,800 new permanent residents moved to Canada to work as registered nurses.

Inès Kingue, a 30-year-old medical lab technician from Douala, is among those aspiring to move to Canada. Despite holding two master’s degrees in virology and microbiology, she has been working as an unpaid intern for four years, earning less than $200 a month. She learned about opportunities in Canada from a colleague and hopes to soon join the ranks of those who have found better prospects abroad.