Daud Olatunji
The Nigerian Medical Association, Ogun State chapter, has called on the Federal Government to pay Nigerian doctors internationally competitive salaries and improve their working conditions to stem the alarming migration of medical professionals from the country.
The association warned that excessive workloads, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, insecurity, occupational stress and poor welfare were exposing doctors to burnout, cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths.
The NMA state Chairman, Dr Sunday Enimola, made the position known in an address to Nigerian doctors ahead of activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria.”
He spoke at a press conference in Abeokuta on Monday to herald the annual event, which highlights the need to protect physicians’ welfare, modernise medical education and harness digital technologies to strengthen healthcare delivery.
He was flanked by the association’s Vice Chairman, Dr Bajomo Olutope Grace; General Secretary, Dr Olufunso Seye; Public Relations Officer, Dr Akintunde Rotimi Richard; and Assistant General Secretary II, Dr Fagbenro Gbenga
Enimola stressed that Nigeria could not secure the future of its healthcare system without addressing the conditions forcing medical professionals to seek better opportunities abroad.
He urged the government and hospital administrators to prioritise doctors’ welfare, safety and professional development, warning that the continued loss of experienced medical personnel could undermine the country’s capacity to provide quality healthcare.
According to him, the future of medicine in Nigeria requires deliberate government action, strategic investment, effective advocacy and collective responsibility.
“The future of medicine will not be secured by wishing for better days. It will be secured by deliberate action, courageous advocacy, strategic investment and collective responsibility,” he said.
Enimola noted that although Nigerian doctors had demonstrated resilience and competence despite challenging circumstances, the profession was facing mounting pressures, including declining welfare, inadequate infrastructure, increasing workloads and the migration of medical personnel.
...Doctors’ welfare under threat
The NMA chairman expressed concern about the health and wellbeing of physicians, warning against a professional culture that glorified exhaustion and discouraged doctors from seeking medical attention or psychological support.
He said the belief that a committed doctor must work relentlessly, often at the expense of personal health, was dangerous and unsustainable.
“For generations, Nigerian doctors have been trained to put the patient first. We have been taught to work through the night, to remain at the bedside when others have gone home, to respond to emergencies regardless of the hour, and to place the needs of our patients above our own.
“These are noble virtues. But there is a dangerous misconception that being a good doctor means being an exhausted doctor. It does not,” he stated.
Enimola called for a workplace culture that would allow doctors to take leave, obtain adequate rest and seek professional assistance without fear of being stigmatised.
He also advocated regular medical examinations, healthier lifestyles and confidential access to psychological support for physicians.
The NMA chairman maintained that doctors’ wellbeing should be treated as an essential component of patient safety and healthcare system performance rather than a luxury.
“A health system that saves everyone except its doctors is not sustainable,” he said.
He attributed the risks confronting doctors to excessive working hours, occupational stress, inadequate staffing, unsafe workplaces, poor remuneration, delayed entitlements and violence against healthcare workers.
Enimola warned that Nigeria could not afford to continue losing medical professionals to preventable causes while they were still actively engaged in saving lives.
NMA Raises Alarm Over Attacks On Doctors
The NMA Ogun chairman also condemned threats, intimidation, assaults and other forms of violence against healthcare workers, insisting that hospitals must remain safe environments for medical professionals and patients.
He called on governments, hospital administrators, employers and security agencies to develop practical and enforceable measures to protect healthcare workers.
According to him, doctors require safe workplaces, adequate equipment, functional infrastructure and decent accommodation where necessary to discharge their professional responsibilities effectively.
“The safety of doctors is not negotiable. And when doctors are safe, patients are safer,” he said.
Enimola urged hospital chief executives to take concrete steps to improve working conditions and ensure that medical personnel could perform their duties without unnecessary risks to their lives and personal safety.
….Why Nigerian doctors are leaving
On the migration of medical professionals, Enimola acknowledged that Nigerian-trained doctors were sought after internationally because of their competence, adaptability and resilience.
However, he questioned why many of the country’s finest medical professionals continued to seek opportunities abroad.
He argued that appeals to patriotism alone would not stop the exodus unless they were backed by improved working conditions, professional dignity, security, competitive remuneration and clear career-development opportunities.
“The answer cannot simply be that doctors should remain because of patriotism. Patriotism should be supported by decent working conditions, professional dignity, security, competitive remuneration, opportunities for career development and a health system in which doctors can see a future for themselves and their families,” he stated.
Enimola called for a shift from merely lamenting the migration of doctors to implementing practical strategies to retain medical professionals and encourage greater collaboration with those in the diaspora.
He said Nigerian doctors abroad could contribute to the country’s healthcare development through structured partnerships that would leverage their expertise, research capacity, investments and international professional networks.
The NMA chairman urged the government to create an environment in which doctors could build rewarding careers without feeling compelled to leave the country.
AI, digital health reshape medical practice
Enimola also called for the transformation of medical practice through digital health, innovation and modernised medical education.
The second sub-theme of the 2026 Physicians’ Week is “Transforming Medicine: Harnessing Digital Health, Innovation and Future-Ready Medical Education.”
He identified artificial intelligence, telemedicine, electronic medical records, precision medicine, digital diagnostics, remote patient monitoring, robotics and genomics as emerging technologies reshaping healthcare delivery globally.
The NMA chairman warned that Nigeria could not afford to remain on the margins of the transformation.
He, however, emphasised that technology must complement medical professionals rather than diminish the human relationships central to healthcare.
According to him, future doctors would need expertise beyond conventional clinical knowledge, including data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, research methodology, health economics, communication, leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Enimola urged medical schools to review their curricula to ensure that graduates were adequately prepared for the changing healthcare environment.
He recommended greater exposure to digital health, clinical informatics, telemedicine, research, entrepreneurship, health systems leadership, preventive medicine and the ethical implications of emerging technologies.
He also identified simulation, digital learning, virtual collaboration and competency-based education as important approaches to strengthening medical training.
AI must protect patients’ rights
On artificial intelligence, Enimola acknowledged that the technology could support diagnosis, improve clinical decision-making, strengthen medical research, enhance teaching and reduce administrative burdens.
He said digital innovations could also expand healthcare access in underserved communities.
However, he called for appropriate ethical and regulatory frameworks to protect patient confidentiality, ensure accountability and prevent discrimination.
He warned that technology must not widen the existing disparities between urban and rural healthcare services.
“And we must remember that no algorithm can replace the empathy of a physician sitting beside a frightened patient,” he stated.
He added that the future of medicine would depend on doctors being empowered by technology while remaining guided by professional ethics.
NMA seeks improved medical education
The NMA Ogun chairman further stressed the need to strengthen undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, improve teaching hospitals, support research and adequately motivate academic physicians.
He warned against compromising medical training standards, noting that the quality of future healthcare would depend significantly on the quality of medical education provided today.
Enimola called for sustained investment in professors, consultants, lecturers and trainers, describing them as custodians of medical knowledge and professional values.
He also advocated educational methods that would equip medical students to think critically, adapt to changing circumstances and pursue lifelong professional development.
Enimola calls for unity among doctors
The NMA chairman reaffirmed the association’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of medical professionals, promoting ethical practice, advocating improved welfare and contributing to national health policy.
He said the association’s responsibilities extended beyond salary negotiations to include defending patients’ access to quality healthcare, strengthening professional unity and promoting accountability within the health system.
Enimola called on consultants, resident doctors, medical officers, academics, researchers, private practitioners, retired physicians and Nigerians in the medical diaspora to work together towards securing the profession’s future.
He urged members to place the collective interests of the profession above individual differences.
“When we stand together, our voice becomes stronger. When we remain divided, the profession becomes weaker,” he said.
Enimola maintained that Nigeria needed a healthcare system where doctors could pursue fulfilling careers, hospitals provided safe working environments, professional excellence was rewarded and medical schools prepared graduates for future challenges.
He stressed that securing the future of medicine was ultimately about ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or social circumstances, could access quality healthcare.
The NMA chairman called for renewed commitment to doctors’ welfare, professional safety, medical innovation and patient-centred healthcare, insisting that Nigerian doctors should not merely survive under difficult conditions but thrive in an environment that supports their professional and personal wellbeing.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
'