Nigeria, May 19 -- Nigeria's broken healthcare system is worsening. There is no better evidence than the zero response to Kwara State government's advertisement for the recruitment of doctors. Its hospitals are operating with just 99 doctors. The tallies for other paramedics are not better either. The crisis is not limited to the state, but is a national human resource epidemic, which the states in the North are more afflicted with. Under Atiku Bagudu as governor, eight years ago, Kebbi State experienced the same shock of "No doctors to recruit" when it advertised for their services.

The malady, without question, is an existential threat, which requires an urgent and effective policy roadmap, beyond extant flip-flop measures. The phenome...