Index to Nigerian Newspapers

‘Nigeria’s Medical Education not ready for 21st Century Healthcare’

The Medical and Dental Specialists Association in Basic Medical Sciences (MeDSABAMS) has expressed serious concern over the deteriorating quality and outdated nature of medical education in Nigeria, asserting that current training practices fall short of the standards required for effective 21st-century healthcare delivery. In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of its 5th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Uyo, the association highlighted a widening gap between advances in basic medical research and their application in clinical practice across the country. MeDSABAMS noted with dissatisfaction that preclinical medical training in many Nigerian universities has increasingly been taken over by non-medically qualified personnel, a development it attributes to systemic reluctance to employ properly trained medical educators. The association called for an urgent review of the medical curriculum, led by medically qualified experts in both basic and clinical sciences, to ensure alignment with contemporary healthcare needs. It further urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) to enforce higher staffing standards, improve collaboration among professionals, and address the deplorable state of preclinical laboratory facilities. These measures, the group maintained, are essential to strengthening Nigeria’s medical education framework and improving healthcare outcomes.

Odey Patrick | Medical education—Nigeria. | Punch Newspaper | Thursday, November 20, 2025