Honourable Tanko Sununu Advocates for an Advisory body for Nigeria’s Medical Profession

The current and future dingy outlook of the medical profession in Nigeria resulting from challenges prevailing against medical education, training and practice in Nigeria necessitated the call for a national forum of elders, some key actors and stakeholders in the medical profession in the country in a solemn assembly to deliberate on, address and proffer probable solutions to these prevalent challenges.

The forum held in Abuja on Tuesday 13th of April, 2021, was conceptualized and convened as part of ongoing efforts to address prevalent challenges of the medical profession in Nigeria through the efforts of Honourable Sununu and the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire who was also in attendance alongside other key heads of Departments and Agencies of the Federal Ministry of Health; current and past lawmakers for health; professional bodies and associations; and other important stakeholders in the health sector from all over the country.

In his keynote address during the meeting, Honourable Yusuf Tanko Sununu the Chairman of National Assembly’s House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services decried the presently widening gaps between the elders and the younger generations in the medical profession and deviations from the tenets of the profession which are now fast being eroded.

He identified challenges characterized by dwindling levels of discipline and respect for seniors and peers; gradual loss of goodwill; incessant strikes almost on yearly basis; widening relationship gap between elders and professional associations especially the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA); intra and inter professional rivalry; declining managerial and leadership skills and administrative capacity; emerging challenges of medical professionals with respect to aspirations to leadership positions and the various restrictions put forward against members of the profession in this regard amongst others as stumbling blocks to the progress of the profession which can ultimately impede or frustrate the quest to achieve Universal Health Coverage and erode, truncate or completely reverse gains and progress made so far made by medical professionals in Nigeria’s health sector.

He further bemoaned dwindling mentoring and standard medical practice and culture like the art of history taking, general physical and systematic examination, focussed ancillary laboratory and radiological testing, summarizing the findings with a view to arriving at a definite diagnosis with possible differentials, commencing treatment with periodic review and finally, putting preventive measures to stop recurrence or in terminal cases, palliative measures which are fast going into extinction as a result of inadequate teaching.

He postulated the establishment of a body of medical elders in Nigeria, meeting periodically and playing strategic advisory roles in policy development, advocacy or mediation to avert interruptions in service delivery, modalities for improving professional discipline through engagements with regulatory bodies, informal oversight in undergraduate and postgraduate training institutions and active participation in the activities of the professional associations. He assured that with a body of medical elders, the image; lost glory; and fast declining dignity and pride of the medical profession will be restored. Also, there will be an improved public perception and rating of the profession. The body will similarly facilitate a healthier industrial climate for a more enduring health service delivery and ultimately fast track the country’s pace towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Written by Ademuyiwa Damilola (LISDEL)

Adapted from a speech delivered by Hon. Tanko Sununu Chairman House of Representatives’ Committee on Healthcare Services at the one day stakeholders’ meeting of elders of the medical  profession in Nigeria held at Transcorp Hilton hotel Abuja Tuesday, April 13, 2021