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Japa: Only 6,000 Medical Consultants Remain In Nigeria -MDCAN

Published

11 months ago

January 24, 2025

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) says only 6,000 consultants are left in the country.

Its President, Prof. Muhammad Mohammad, said this on Thursday during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting in Ilorin.

The meeting was themed, “Policy Making for Quality Healthcare Services: Engaging Policy Makers for Quality Healthcare Delivery”.

Mohammad explained that 6,000 consultants remain as of Feb. 2024, lamenting that data showed that about 1,300 left Nigeria in the last five years.

According to him, the number will continue to dwindle as the retirement age for medical consultants is 60 years.

“About 1,700 consultants are above 55 years of age.

“This means that in the next five years, they are going to leave the services for retirement,” he said.

The MDCAN president emphasised that the number of consultants would continue to reduce, as long as the country produces only one or two per annum.

“So you can see that the replacement cannot keep up with the loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and from retirement,” he said.

Mohammad commended the government for its efforts toward finding solutions to the challenges.

According to him, the association is hopeful that consultants will be able to serve up to 70 years, while other healthcare workers will continue to serve up to 65 years.

He noted that such a move would ensure that medical and dental consultants who remain in the country continue to give their expertise in the health field.

Mohammad also appealed to the government at all tiers to ensure medical lectures are placed on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), addressing disparities in their emoluments.

“We also want to have an environment where we will be able to practice and deliver the best quality healthcare in Nigeria,” he said.

Similarly, the Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, said the theme of the NEC meeting was apt, noting that appropriate policies were critical to assist the government in delivering quality healthcare to citizens.

El-Imam said policies must be targeted toward the right segments, domesticated to the peculiarities of the state or nation and effectively disseminated to the end users.

“All of these contribute towards ensuring that the life and health of the people are safeguarded,” she said.

In his presentation, the Guest Speaker, Dr Amos Magaji, a Lawmaker representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the 10th National Assembly, underscored the importance of policymaking in healthcare delivery.

According to him, healthcare is fundamental to life, noting that policies such as the National Health Insurance Authority will ensure Nigerians are captured for healthcare services.

Similarly, Prof. Tanimola Akande, Consultant in Public Health at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), advised doctors to focus on their health and well-being.

He underscored the need for self-care, regular and comprehensive examinations and exercise.

Earlier, Prof. Kazeem Ibrahim, Chairman, Local Organising Committee, MDCAN-NEC meeting, said that innumerable policies have been formulated in the past without significant impact on the health of many vulnerable citizens.

Ibrahim noted that the meeting would proffer solutions to the challenges, as well as the ‘Japa’ syndrome, pushing health workers to migrate from the country due to abysmal working conditions.

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Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

1 hour ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

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Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

1 hour ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”