The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kaduna State Branch, has called for improved welfare, safer workplaces and better working conditions for doctors, warning that burnout, insecurity and brain drain threaten the future of medicine in Nigeria.
The association’s chairman, Dr Aisha Mustapha, made the call ahead of the 2026 National Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria”.
She identified increasing workloads, inadequate infrastructure, poor remuneration, insecurity, burnout and the mass migration of medical professionals as major challenges facing the profession.
Mustapha said securing the future of medicine required deliberate action, sustained advocacy and strategic investment rather than waiting for conditions to improve.
She noted that doctors were trained to put patients first and often worked through the night and responded to emergencies at all hours. However, she warned that commitment to patients should not come at the expense of physicians’ health and wellbeing.
The NMA chairman called for an end to the culture of silence surrounding doctors’ welfare, urging medical professionals to undergo regular health checks, maintain healthy lifestyles, get adequate rest and seek psychological support without fear of stigma.
On the growing migration of Nigerian doctors, Mustapha said their competence had made them attractive to health systems around the world.
She, however, noted that poor working conditions, insecurity and limited opportunities for career progression were among the factors pushing many doctors to seek opportunities abroad.
The association stressed that improving doctors’ welfare and working environments was essential to retaining skilled medical personnel and securing the future of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
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