LAGOS/Nigeria: The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening postgraduate medical education in Nigeria as the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) held its 43rd Convocation Ceremony on Thursday in Lagos.
Speaking on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Jimoh Saludeen congratulated 480 graduating professionals, describing them as the “backbone of Nigeria’s healthcare system.”
“Your resilience, hard work, and dedication are not only personal achievements but vital contributions to the future of our healthcare system,” Dr. Saludeen said.
He assured that the Ministry will continue to support the College with special funding to train specialists, reduce brain drain, and expand facilities nationwide. According to him, government interventions include increased budgetary allocation for residency training, access to TETFund, dedicated support for health research, and completion of major projects such as the Senate Building and Clinical Skills Centre in Lagos. He also confirmed the acquisition of an Abuja office to strengthen the College’s national presence.
Dr. Saludeen noted that postgraduate medical training aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Four-Point Health Agenda, particularly in strengthening human resources for health.
Earlier, the President of the College, Dr. Peter N. Ebeigbe, reaffirmed NPMCN’s mission to advance excellence in medical education, training, and research. He described the convocation as a moment of pride and renewed commitment to better healthcare delivery.
“Our Fellows, MDs, Diplomates, and awardees represent the promise of better healthcare for our people. The College has expanded training centres, digitized examinations, and forged international collaborations to ensure Nigerian doctors remain globally competitive,” Dr. Ebeigbe said.
He listed milestones achieved in the past year, including record numbers of graduating specialists, computer-based examinations, and partnerships with medical institutions in the UK, USA, and West African sub-region. However, he warned that the “Japa syndrome” continues to drain the country of its best medical minds.
“We must address inadequate funding, poor remuneration, and insecurity disrupting residency training if we want to retain our doctors and trainers,” he cautioned.
At the convocation, awards were conferred on 405 new Fellows, 34 Doctor of Medicine (MD) recipients, 37 Diplomates in Family Medicine, four Distinguished Fellows, and four Postgraduate Diploma awardees in Anaesthesia and Public Health.
Recipients of the Distinguished Fellowship Award included Dr. Sebastian Nwosu, Dr. Dilli Dogo, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeanolue, and Dr. Fatiu Arogundade.
Both the Federal Government and the College leadership urged stakeholders, including government agencies, the private sector, development partners, and the media, to support postgraduate medical training as a cornerstone for strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
“Our healthcare future depends on our specialists,” Dr. Saludeen affirmed. “We call on our graduands to be ambassadors of the College, serving humanity with expertise and compassion.”
