The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Benue State branch, has called for reforms in medical education to equip future doctors with digital skills, artificial intelligence and data science knowledge alongside clinical training.
The association made the call during the opening of the 2026 Physician Week in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with the theme, “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria”.
The state NMA chairman, Dr Fanen Dogoh, who represented the association’s National President, Professor Afekhide Ernest Omoti, said medical education must evolve to reflect changes in healthcare delivery.
Dogoh said future doctors needed more than clinical knowledge to meet the demands of a rapidly changing medical environment.
He advocated greater exposure to artificial intelligence, digital health, data science and clinical informatics as part of efforts to prepare medical students for emerging challenges in the profession.
The association also called on governments and hospital managements to improve doctors’ welfare, safety and working conditions.
Speaking at the event, Omoti urged chief executives of hospitals across the country to take practical steps to ensure that doctors work in safe and conducive environments.
He also called on the government to provide internationally competitive remuneration for Nigerian doctors to address the persistent migration of medical professionals abroad.
Dogoh said the annual Physician Week was not only about protecting the medical profession but also about securing the future of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
He identified doctors’ safety, professional dignity and the emigration of medical personnel as critical issues requiring urgent attention.
The association maintained that improving working conditions and modernising medical education were essential to sustaining the health sector and preparing the next generation of Nigerian doctors.
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