The Nigerian Medical Association, Kogi State chapter, has called for improved welfare, safer working conditions and greater investment in the professional development of medical doctors, describing physicians’ welfare as a critical investment in the quality and sustainability of healthcare delivery.
The state chairman of the association, Dr Mary Onyeche Obari, made the call on Tuesday in Lokoja during activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week.
The event’s theme was “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria”, with two sub-themes: “Saving the Savers: Promoting Physicians’ Well-being and Preventing Burnout, Cardiovascular Disease and Premature Death” and “Transforming Medicine: Harnessing Digital Health, Innovation and Future-Ready Medical Education”.
Obari said the welfare of medical practitioners must be prioritised to ensure a sustainable healthcare system capable of meeting the population’s needs.
“A system that depends on physicians to save lives must also take responsibility for preserving the lives, health and dignity of its physicians,” she said.
According to her, the annual Physicians’ Week provides an opportunity not only to celebrate the medical profession but also to address the challenges confronting practitioners and advocate reforms that protect healthcare workers and patients.
She said her responsibilities as NMA chairman extended beyond representing doctors to listening to their concerns, defending their legitimate interests and promoting an environment where every physician could practise with dignity.
Highlighting the demanding nature of medical practice, Obari noted that doctors routinely make critical decisions, attend to emergencies, manage complicated medical conditions and support families through difficult moments.
However, she warned that the pressure of the profession should not undermine physicians’ physical and mental health.
“Behind every white coat is a human being. A doctor can be brilliant and still be exhausted, committed and still be overwhelmed, compassionate and still need compassion,” she said.
The NMA chairman stressed that burnout should not be mistaken for dedication, adding that working without adequate rest should not be celebrated as evidence of professional commitment.
“Burnout should not be mistaken for dedication. Working without adequate rest should not be celebrated as a measure of commitment. A physician’s suffering should not have to become a tragedy before it receives attention,” she added.
She expressed concern about the risks associated with occupational stress, cardiovascular disease and premature death among physicians, noting that the demands of clinical practice could make it difficult for doctors to prioritise preventive healthcare, adequate sleep, exercise and timely medical examinations.
Obari called for practical measures to improve doctors’ welfare, including adequate staffing, reasonable duty schedules, protected rest periods, prompt payment of salaries and entitlements, confidential mental health support and protection against workplace violence.
She also advocated regular preventive medical assessments and a professional environment where doctors could seek help without fear of stigma.
“Our advocacy must translate into practical measures. Physicians deserve safe working conditions, adequate staffing, reasonable duty schedules and access to the support they need to remain healthy and effective,” she said.
Addressing medical practitioners, she emphasised that their lives and well-being mattered beyond their professional responsibilities.
“Your life matters beyond the lives you save. Your health matters beyond the patients you attend to. Your family deserves your presence, and you deserve the opportunity to live a long, healthy and fulfilling life,” she said.
NMA advocates digital transformation of healthcare
On the future of medical practice, Obari said technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, telemedicine, electronic medical records and digital health systems, were creating opportunities to improve healthcare delivery.
She noted that these innovations could help overcome geographical barriers, strengthen referral systems, support clinical decision-making, improve medical education and extend specialist services to underserved communities.
According to her, Kogi State must take advantage of these developments to improve access to quality healthcare and strengthen the capacity of medical professionals.
“Technology can help bridge geographical barriers, improve referrals, support clinical decisions, strengthen medical education and extend specialist knowledge to underserved communities,” she said.
However, she cautioned that digital transformation would remain ineffective without deliberate investment in infrastructure, training and the resources required to equip doctors with the necessary skills.
“We cannot speak of a future-ready health system without investing in the people expected to operate it. We cannot demand digital competence without providing the infrastructure, training and resources required to develop it,” she said.
The NMA chairman called for increased investment in reliable digital infrastructure, continuing medical education, secure health information systems, responsible artificial intelligence and medical curricula that reflect the changing realities of clinical practice.
She maintained that technology should complement, rather than replace, the human relationship between doctors and patients.
“Artificial intelligence may support clinical decision-making, but human judgment, empathy, accountability and professional ethics must remain central to medicine,” she said.
“The future of medicine is not simply about smarter machines. It is about better-supported physicians using innovation to deliver better services.”
Call for stronger government partnership
Obari called on the Kogi State Government, the Federal Government, hospital administrators and other healthcare stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with the NMA to address the challenges facing medical practitioners.
While acknowledging the complexities of healthcare administration and competing demands on public resources, she maintained that sustainable healthcare delivery required adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, sufficient personnel, professional development opportunities and safe working environments.
She urged the relevant authorities to sustain engagement with the association on doctors’ welfare, promptly settle legitimate outstanding entitlements, improve human resource planning and invest in modern healthcare infrastructure.
“Doctors must be adequately remunerated, healthcare facilities appropriately staffed, and medical professionals provided with opportunities for continuous development in safe working environments,” she said.
She also urged hospital administrators to institutionalise staff welfare programmes and involve physicians in decisions affecting their working conditions and patient care.
According to her, the significance of Physicians’ Week must extend beyond speeches, ceremonies and commendations to tangible improvements in the welfare of medical practitioners.
“We cannot continue to applaud physicians for their sacrifices while ignoring the circumstances that make those sacrifices unnecessarily costly. We cannot demand excellence from a workforce without investing in its welfare, professional growth and working environment,” she said.
She added that preparing for the future of medicine required deliberate efforts to protect and empower the professionals responsible for delivering healthcare services.
“Let us build a healthcare system where doctors do not have to choose between serving their patients and protecting their own health; where innovation is matched by investment; and where professional dedication is met with institutional responsibility.
“Ultimately, saving the savers is not only about saving doctors. It is about safeguarding the future of healthcare itself,” she said.
The NMA chairman commended Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, for what she described as their achievements in the state’s health sector.
She reaffirmed the association’s commitment to supporting the administration’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery and ensure that residents of Kogi State had access to quality medical services.