A Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Calabar (Unical), Ofem Enang, on Saturday unveiled plan to reform the Nigeria medical profession for better service delivery.
Enang unveiled the plan in Calabar, while formally declaring his intention to lead the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) at the national level before doctors in the state.
He said that the profession has been battered by poor welfare, insecurity, mass emigration, eroded earnings, and broken agreements by the government.
According to him, the Nigerian medical profession has reached a breaking point. It is in view of this, that today I am unveiling an ambitious reform blueprint tagged “Renaissance 2026 – The Rebirth of Excellence”.
“The deepening crisis facing Nigerian doctors is not a failure of individuals but of systems and only bold, united, and reform-driven leadership can reverse the decline.”
He explained that Renaissance 2026 was built on five pillars, with doctors’ welfare as the foundation.
He also vowed to work with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to resolve salary arrears, promotion backlogs, unsafe work hours, allowance distortions and full implementation of collective bargaining agreements.
The NMA presidential hopeful further said that there would be zero tolerance for assault, kidnapping, or killing of doctors.
According to him, a country that cannot protect its healthcare workers cannot protect its people.
He also promised to tackle long-standing housing and retirement challenges by advocating national mortgage schemes for doctors at single-digit interest rates.
Enang further said that he would advocate for predictable pensions, post-retirement health insurance, and dignified exit pathways for senior colleagues.
He said he would also ensure the strengthening of healthcare delivery through economic empowerment measures for private practitioners, including tax reliefs, fair electricity tariffs and renewable energy incentives.
He further announced plans to champion a Bank of Medicine to provide low-interest funding for hospital expansion, equipment, and innovation.
“If given the opportunity to lead the NMA, I will ensure the establishment of a Tertiary Healthcare Fund to sustainably finance teaching hospitals, residency training, research, and infrastructure.
“I will also push for reforms to protect the integrity of medical training and global recognition of Nigerian qualifications,” he said.
Enang while addressing recent killings and kidnappings of doctors in Edo and Enugu state, expressed solidarity with affected families and colleagues, describing the incidents as evidence of worsening national insecurity.
He also declared support for resident doctors amid renewed industrial tensions, and urged the federal government to honor all agreements reached with NARD to avert another healthcare shutdown.
He further promised to reunite a fractured NMA, pursue transparent leadership, credible electoral reforms and a gradual transition to One Doctor, One Vote, while rebuilding the association’s moral authority and influence in national policy making.
“This is not about ambition; it is about restoration,” he added.
He therefore called on doctors at home and in the diaspora to support what he described as a movement to restore dignity, unity and excellence to the profession.
