By Blessing Oziwo
The Kogi State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called for improved welfare, safer working conditions and increased investment in doctors’ professional development, warning that physicians’ well-being is essential to sustainable healthcare delivery.
Key Highlights
- NMA Kogi chapter demands better welfare and safer workplaces for doctors.
- Chairman Dr. Mary Obari spoke in Lokoja during the 2026 Physicians’ Week.
- She called for adequate staffing, protected rest periods, prompt salaries and mental health support.
- The association urged investment in digital health, AI and telemedicine infrastructure.
- Obari commended Governor Usman Ododo and Health Commissioner Dr. Abdulazeez Adeiza.
State Chairman of the association, Dr. Mary Obari, made the call on Tuesday in Lokoja during activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week, with the theme: “Securing the future of medicine in Nigeria.”
The event featured discussions on promoting physicians’ well-being, preventing burnout and premature death, and using digital health innovations to prepare medical professionals for the future.
Obari said the healthcare system must prioritise the welfare of doctors who work under demanding conditions to save lives and care for patients.
“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.
She described the Physicians’ Week as an opportunity to celebrate the medical profession while addressing challenges confronting practitioners and advocating reforms that protect both healthcare workers and patients.
“Behind Every White Coat Is A Human Being”
The NMA chairman noted that doctors routinely make critical decisions, respond to emergencies, manage complex medical conditions and support families during difficult moments.
However, she warned that these responsibilities should not come at the expense of their 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,” Obari said.
She cautioned against treating burnout as a sign of dedication or celebrating inadequate rest 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.
Obari expressed concern over occupational stress, cardiovascular disease and premature death among medical practitioners, noting that demanding work schedules could prevent doctors from prioritising sleep, exercise, preventive healthcare and regular medical examinations.
She called for adequate staffing, reasonable duty schedules, protected rest periods, prompt payment of salaries and entitlements, confidential mental health support and measures to protect doctors from workplace violence.
The association also advocated regular preventive medical assessments and a working environment where physicians could seek assistance 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, Obari reminded them that their well-being matters 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.
Digital Health And The Future Of Medicine
Obari also highlighted the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, telemedicine, electronic medical records and other digital health technologies to improve healthcare delivery.
She said these innovations could reduce geographical barriers, strengthen referral systems, support clinical decisions, improve medical education and extend specialist services to underserved communities.
According to her, Kogi State must invest in the infrastructure, training and resources needed to enable medical professionals to use emerging technologies effectively.
“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 investment in reliable digital infrastructure, continuing medical education, secure health information systems, responsible artificial intelligence and medical curricula that reflect changing clinical practices.
She stressed 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.”
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Call On Government, Hospital Administrators
Obari urged the Kogi State and federal governments, hospital administrators and other healthcare stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with the NMA to address challenges affecting medical practitioners.
While acknowledging the competing demands on public resources, she said sustainable healthcare delivery required adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, sufficient personnel, opportunities for professional development and safe working environments.
She urged relevant authorities to sustain engagement with the association on doctors’ welfare, settle legitimate outstanding entitlements promptly, improve workforce planning and invest in modern healthcare infrastructure.
Obari also called on hospital administrators to establish staff welfare programmes and involve physicians in decisions affecting their working conditions and patient care.
She maintained that the significance of Physicians’ Week should extend beyond ceremonies and commendations to measurable 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.
The NMA chairman said protecting doctors and equipping them to adapt to emerging technologies were necessary steps toward strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
She urged stakeholders to work towards a system where doctors could serve patients without compromising their own health and where technological innovation was matched by adequate investment and institutional support.
Obari commended Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adeiza, for what she described as their achievements in the state’s health sector.
She reaffirmed the association’s commitment to supporting efforts to improve healthcare delivery and expand residents’ access to quality medical services.
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