Edo NMA Urges FG to Double Housemanship Slots as Igbinedion University Inducts New Doctors

Kingsley Ohens reporting

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State Branch, has called on the Federal Government, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and other relevant stakeholders to urgently expand Housemanship opportunities for newly qualified medical doctors across the country.

The Chairman of the NMA, Edo State Branch, made the call on Monday, October 5, 2026, during the swearing-in ceremony of new medical graduates of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, where he urged stakeholders to address the growing gap between the number of medical graduates and available House Officer positions.

According to him, while the Federal Government’s decision, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to increase the admission quota for Medicine and Surgery was commendable, expanding admission without simultaneously increasing Housemanship capacity could merely shift the bottleneck further down the medical training pipeline.

He therefore advocated that available House Officer positions should be at least doubled and, where capacity permits, tripled, stressing that Nigeria cannot continue to produce medical graduates without providing them with adequate opportunities to enter the healthcare workforce.

The NMA Chairman noted that the country was facing significant healthcare challenges, including shortages of medical personnel, inadequate infrastructure, rising healthcare costs, preventable diseases, maternal and child health concerns, and the continued migration of health professionals in search of better opportunities.

He, however, charged the new doctors not to define their careers by the challenges confronting the Nigerian health sector but to become part of the generation committed to transforming it.

He urged them to pursue excellence not only as clinicians but also as leaders, researchers, innovators and advocates for improved healthcare, emphasizing that wherever their professional journeys take them, they should remain connected to Nigeria and contribute their knowledge and experience to the development of the country’s health system.

Addressing the graduands, the NMA Chairman described their induction into the medical profession as a profound responsibility involving a commitment to human life, patients, colleagues, society and humanity.

He urged the new doctors to uphold compassion, integrity and professionalism, particularly when working in challenging environments with limited resources.

“Every patient is a Nigerian whose life, dignity and wellbeing matters,” he said, stressing that every patient, irrespective of social or economic status, deserves competent and compassionate care.

He also charged the new doctors to protect the integrity and reputation of the medical profession, remain humble and teachable, embrace continuous learning and responsibly adopt emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, without losing the human element of medical practice.

The Chairman described the NMA as the professional home and collective voice of Nigerian doctors, urging the new doctors to actively participate in the affairs of the Association and contribute to shaping the future of the profession.

He further commended the parents, guardians, lecturers, consultants, resident doctors and teachers whose sacrifices and commitment contributed to the successful training of the new doctors.

In his final charge, he urged the graduands to build their professional lives around five principles—competence, compassion, character, courage and service—describing them as essential values for doctors committed to making a meaningful difference in society.

He reminded the new doctors that the title “Doctor” carries a responsibility that extends beyond professional status, urging them to dedicate their knowledge and skills to healing, service and leadership.

The ceremony was attended by the Vice-Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye; members of the Governing Council; representatives of the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria; the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Dominic Osaghae, mni, FNMA; principal officers of the university; deans and members of the College of Medicine; medical professionals, parents, guardians and other distinguished guests.

The NMA Chairman congratulated the new doctors and formally welcomed them into the Nigerian medical profession, while offering prayers for Igbinedion University, the NMA, Edo State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.