Doctors in Abia have decried rising burnout among medical professionals and called for improved welfare, better working conditions and investment in digital healthcare.
They made the call on Tuesday in Umuahia during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Physicians’ Week of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Abia branch.
The event with the theme :”Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria” brought together leading medical professionals across the state.
Chairman of NMA Abia, Dr Daniel Ekeleme, urged the state government to improve doctors’ remuneration and ensure timely payment of entitlements.
He also called for urgent action to address staff shortages and equip health facilities with essential tools and infrastructure.
According to him, investment in medical education, infrastructure and retention of skilled professionals is crucial for medicine’s future.
He further urged doctors to uphold professionalism, compassion and ethical standards in their practice.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Chuks Kamanu, called for unity among doctors and constructive engagement with government.
He disclosed that Abia State University Teaching Hospital has produced over 3,500 doctors across 32 graduating sets.
He expressed concern that only about 60 of them currently practise in Abia.
Kamanu also lamented the limited number of accredited facilities for housemanship and underutilisation of some hospitals.
He urged NMA to develop practical proposals to help government maximise existing health facilities.
He also encouraged Nigerians to participate responsibly in the 2027 general elections and reject vote-selling.
In his keynote address, Prof. Madu Awa raised the alarm over burnout caused by excessive workloads and staff shortages.
He listed inadequate resources, workplace bullying and emotional pressure as other factors driving burnout.
He advocated reasonable workloads, confidential counselling, supportive leadership and improved staffing to address the challenge.
He stressed that measurable welfare programmes and doctors’ well-being are essential for patient safety and quality care.
Prof. Benjamin Anyanwu, Executive Medical Director, Regions Healthcare, called for greater investment in digital health systems, including electronic medical records and telemedicine.
He also highlighted cloud-based platforms and remote patient monitoring as critical to efficient healthcare delivery.
Anyanwu identified unreliable electricity, poor internet connectivity, high costs and cybersecurity threats as major barriers.
He emphasised the need for patient privacy, data security and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Contributing, Dr Paul Ngwu, Consultant Urologist/Laparoscopic surgeon at FMC, Umuahia, highlighted efforts to introduce advanced robot-assisted surgical services in Nigeria.
He described the initiative as an opportunity to expand access to specialised treatment and reduce medical tourism.
He encouraged collaboration among practitioners to ensure appropriate assessment, referrals and continuity of care.
The Physicians’ Week provides a platform to examine challenges facing the profession and explore sustainable solutions.
