MEDICAL EXPERTS TO ADDRESS HEALTH WORKER SHORTAGE, MATERNAL DEATHS AT COLLOQUIUM
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By; Sunmola Ganiyat
Medical experts, researchers and policymakers will gather later this month to examine key challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare system, including the shortage of health workers, epidemic threats and persistently high maternal mortality.
The issues will take centre stage at the maiden Biannual Presidential Colloquium of the Academy of Medical Sciences, scheduled for July 30, 2026, in Lagos.
The colloquium, themed “Nigeria’s Health at a Crossroad: Confronting Workforce Shortages, Epidemic Risks, and Maternal Mortality,” aims to generate practical recommendations for addressing critical gaps in the country’s healthcare system.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Academy’s Secretary, Mayowa Owolabi.
According to Owolabi, the event will bring together medical professionals, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to explore sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s pressing health sector challenges.
The colloquium will be delivered by the President of the Academy, Emeritus Professor Osato Frank Giwa-Osagie, a distinguished Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The statement said discussions would focus on major vulnerabilities within Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly the dwindling number of skilled health workers, preparedness for disease outbreaks and the country’s high burden of maternal mortality.
The event is scheduled to hold at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at the Old Great Hall, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, with guests expected to be seated by 9:30 a.m.
The Academy noted that Nigeria continues to face significant healthcare challenges, including the migration of medical professionals, inadequate manpower and limited access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved communities.
It expressed optimism that the outcomes of the colloquium would contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen healthcare policies and improve health outcomes nationwide.
To provide multidisciplinary perspectives, the Academy has assembled a panel of experts, including Professor Adetokunbo Fabamwo, Chief Medical Director of LASUTH; Professor Obinna Onwujekwe, a health economics and policy expert; Distinguished Professor Akin Osibogun, a community health specialist; and Dr Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The Academy of Medical Sciences, formerly known as the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria, was incorporated in 2019 as an independent body that provides expert advice on medical education, research, public health and other health-related matters. It is Nigeria’s apex academic and scientific body in medicine and a member of the InterAcademy Partnership, a global network of scientific academies.
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