Healthcare Entrepreneurship as a Sustainable Strategy for Retaining Health Professionals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56532/mjbem.v5i2.237Keywords:
Healthcare Entrepreneurship, Health Professionals, Brain Drain, Private Medical Centres, Nigerian Health SectorAbstract
The healthcare systems in Africa struggle with brain drain, and experience a persistent shortage of skilled health professionals, due to the migration of doctors, nurses, and allied health workers to developed countries. This study explored healthcare entrepreneurship as a sustainable strategy for retaining health professionals and reducing brain drain in Nigeria, using case studies of selected private medical centres in Ilorin metropolis. The study adopts a qualitative multiple-case study research design, and the data were collected through in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals. The interview guide is designed to explore participants’ motivations for engaging in healthcare entrepreneurship, experiences within private medical centres, perceived benefits, and challenges related to retention and migration decisions. The findings reveal that engagement in healthcare entrepreneurship enhances professional autonomy, provides economic stability, offers opportunities for innovation, and improved working conditions. However, the study also identified structural challenges hindering the effectiveness of healthcare entrepreneurship. Despite these challenges, private medical centres provide viable alternative career pathways that contribute to workforce retention. The study concludes that strengthening healthcare entrepreneurship through supportive policies, improved access to funding, and institutional support can serve as a sustainable strategy for retaining health professionals, mitigating brain drain, and improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
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