The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on a new cohort of medical graduates from Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO) to consider gaining global experience and driving local reform in the country's healthcare system. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the new medical graduates on October 5, 2026, NMA Chairman Dr. Andrew Eigbedion urged the young doctors to reframe their roles in a globalized healthcare ecosystem. He emphasized that migration doesn't have to mean abandonment of their home country.
Dr. Eigbedion's address marked a distinct approach in the national narrative surrounding medical emigration, encouraging a culture of diaspora reinvestment and circular migration. He told the inductees that they may choose to practice in Nigeria or abroad, but should acquire knowledge, skills, and experience, and find ways to bring value back home. For those who remain in Nigeria, he urged them not to merely complain about the system, but to help improve it.
The ceremony highlighted the tough realities on the ground, including underfunded facilities, heavy patient burdens, and resource constraints. Dr. Eigbedion urged the new doctors to maintain high ethical standards despite these systemic limitations. He reminded them that resource shortages must never become an excuse for a breakdown in compassion or professionalism, regardless of a patient's socio-economic status.
The NMA Chairman also challenged the new doctors to leverage emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to bridge resource gaps, while cautioning that technology must augment, not replace, human connection and clinical empathy. This approach aims to help the young doctors navigate the systemic limits of Nigeria's healthcare system.
Dr. Eigbedion also pointed out a policy disconnect threatening the domestic workforce pipeline. He welcomed the Federal Ministry of Health's decision to expand medical school admission quotas but warned that failing to expand postgraduate Housemanship positions leaves qualified young doctors in limbo. The NMA formally called on the Federal Government and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to double or triple available Housemanship slots.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye, and the Provost of the College of Medicine, Prof. Dominic Osaghae, among others. The NMA Chairman urged the new doctors to let five core principles guide their practice: Competence, Compassion, Character, Courage, and Service.
As the new doctors begin their careers, Dr. Eigbedion charged them to give true meaning to the title "Doctor" and to remember that patients trust them with their lives and their hope. The inductees took their professional oath, marking the beginning of their journey as medical professionals in Nigeria's healthcare system.
Key points
- The NMA is encouraging young doctors to acquire global experience and drive local reform in Nigeria's healthcare system.
- The association is promoting a culture of diaspora reinvestment and circular migration among medical professionals.
- The NMA is calling for an expansion of postgraduate Housemanship positions to support young doctors in their careers.
