NMA Urges Akwa Ibom To Establish 7 Medical Schools To Tackle

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State chapter, has called on the Akwa Ibom State government to establish at least seven medical training institutions to address the growing shortage of healthcare professionals and strengthen healthcare delivery across the state.

Speaking during a press briefing in Uyo as part of activities marking the association’s annual general meeting and scientific conference, the outgoing state Chairman of the NMA, Prof. Aniekan Peter, described inadequate medical manpower as the greatest challenge facing the state’s health sector.

Although he commended Governor Umo Eno for recruiting 2,000 health workers and investing in healthcare infrastructure, Prof. Peter stressed that more strategic interventions are needed to ensure the sector can meet the healthcare needs of the state’s growing population.

He urged the government to expand medical education by establishing additional medical schools and upgrading some existing tertiary institutions into medical colleges.

According to him, increasing the number of training institutions would boost the production of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals while creating employment opportunities for young people interested in medical careers.

Prof. Peter noted that the state has consistently struggled to fill approved vacancies for medical personnel, highlighting the severity of the workforce shortage.

“If there are vacancies for 100,000 teachers in the state, they can easily be filled. But recently Governor Umo Eno approved the employment of 400 doctors, and we could not get enough qualified applicants. That means something is fundamentally wrong,” he said.

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He also revealed that the state initially struggled to recruit 700 nurses, adding that the target was only achieved after some of the recruitment requirements were relaxed.

While applauding Governor Eno for approving the establishment of a medical school at Akwa Ibom State University, Prof. Peter argued that a single institution would not be enough to meet the state’s healthcare manpower needs, pointing to Delta State, which has four medical training institutions, as an example of the level of investment required to build a sustainable healthcare workforce.

“We appreciate the governor for approving the medical school at Akwa Ibom State University, but one medical school is not enough. Medicine is no longer just a course; it is empowerment.

“If Akwa Ibom wants to become a leading state in healthcare, it must establish at least seven medical schools so that qualified students can study medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and other health-related courses,” he said.

Prof. Peter further suggested that facilities such as the general hospitals in Ikot Ekpene and Eket, as well as the Ibom Specialist Hospital, could be upgraded into medical training institutions.

He maintained that expanding the state’s medical education infrastructure is the most sustainable solution to addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals and improving healthcare delivery in the long term.